THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


CAPTAIN     KODAK 


I'm  all  right!'  shouted  McConnell 


(See  page  269.) 


CAPTAIN    KODAK 


A  CAMERA  STORY 


By 

Alexander   Black 

Author  of  "  Miss  Jerry,"  "  Miss 
America, "  "  The  Story  of  Ohio  ' ' 

etC.      ooooooooo 

With  Photographic 
Illustrations  by  the 
Author  oooo 


BOSTON 
LOTHROP   PUBLISHING   COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,  1899, 

BY 
LOTHROP    PUBLISHING    COMPANY 


THIRD    EDITION 


^limpton  JJvcss 

H.  M.  PLIMPTON  it  CO.,  PRINTERS  4  BINDERS, 
NORWOOD,   MASS.,  U.S.A. 

TYPOGRAPHY  BY   J.    S.    GUSHING  <fc   CO.,    NORWOOD,    MASS.,    U.S.A. 


1) 


/N  the   olden   days  people   peered 
about  in  the  world  for  the  foun 
tain  of  perpetual  youth.     Nowa 
days    they    are   wiser.       They  find  a 
hobby  —  an  enthusiasm,  by  which  the 
old  are  made  young  and  the  young  are 
made  wise  and  happy. 

This  is  the  story  of  the  camera  hobby; 
of  an  amateur  photographer  and  his 
chums;  of  a  boy  s  adventures  in  the 
company  of  his  camera;  of  a  camera 
club  and  the  old  and  young  brought 


together  by  the  influence  of  a  common 
interest ;  of  journeys  in  search  of  the 
picturesque;  of  -problems,  struggles,  and 
surprises. 

'The  pictures  are  not  by  any  means 
always  intended  to  show  my  readers 
how  photographs  should  be  made,  but 
rather  to  suggest  the  interest  of  famil 
iar  and  accessible  things,  and  that  the 
best  thing  about  a  photograph  is  not 
always  the  thing  we  wished  or  ex 
pected  to  put  in  it. 

For  assistance  in  the  form  of  pictures 
at  the  Montauk  camp  I  am  indebted  to 
my  friend,  Mr.  Walter  Hammitt. 

A.  B. 


CONTENTS 


I.  THE  COMING  OF  THE  CAMERA 

II.  THE  FIRE         .... 

III.  UNDER  THE  RED  LAMP     . 

IV.  AN  ILL-KEPT  SECRET 

V.  THE  DARK-ROOM  MYSTERY 

VI.  DETECTIVE  DOBBS 

VII.  IN  NEW  YORK 

VIII.  Two  ARRESTS 

IX.  GREAT  EXPECTATIONS 

X.  THE  CAMERA  CLUB 

XI.  AT  CONEY  ISLAND     . 

XII.  BIG  WOLF  AND  COMPANY 

XIII.  A  TOUCH-DOWN 

XIV.  THE  SAILING  OF  THE  "  ARABELLA  " 
XV.  A  CHANGED  SKY 

XVI.  AN  UNEXPECTED  VISITOR  . 

XVII.  WINTER  DAYS 

XVIII.  ECHOES  OF  WAR 

XIX.  RETURNED  HEROES 


'3 

33 
43 
53 
65 
73 
9i 
101 

U5 
129 

151 

165 
179 
191 
203 
225 
241 

255 
271 


CAPTAIN    KODAK. 


i. 


THE    COMING   OF   THE    CAMERA. 


ON  the  day  when  the 
circus  came  to  Ha- 
zenfield;  one  of  the  ele 
phants  broke  loose  and 
strolled  up  Main  Street ; 
and  when  they  chased  him 
he  knocked  down  three 
lamp-posts,  the  stone  boy 
on  the  drinking-fountain, 
upset  a  trolley  car,  broke 
the  insurance  company's 
sign,  smashed  the  helmet 
of  Policeman  Ryan,  and 
fell  into  a  hole  in  front  of 
the  barber's. 

There  never  had  been  so  much  excitement  in 
Hazenfield,  and  the  motorman,  Policeman  Ryan,  and 
the  barber  hope  there  never  will  be  again. 

When  it  was  all  over,  that  is  to  say,  when  they  got 
the  elephant  out  of  the  hole,  which  you  must  know 
was  no  easy  matter,  and  Hazenfield  had  quieted  down 
again,  there  were  many  comments  on  the  incident. 

'3 


14  Captain  Kodak. 

"  I  never  expected  an  elephant,"  said  the  motorman. 

"  I'm  glad  it  wasn't  your  head,"  said  Policeman 
Ryan's  wife,  when  she  saw  the  helmet. 

"  I  thought  he  was  coming  in  to  get  shaved  !  "  said 
the  barber. 

Allan  Hartel,  the  Doctor's  son,  said,  "  If  I'd  only 
had  a  camera  !  " 

Allan  recalled  how  Main  Street  cleared,  or  tried  to 
clear,  when  the  elephant  was  first  discovered ;  and  the 
way  the  elephant  swung  his  trunk,  and  dropped  into  a 
hobbling  trot  before  he  struck  the  trolley  car.  He 
recalled  the  frantic  movement  of  the  motorman  as 
he  caught  sight  of  the  big,  lumbering  beast  at  the 
corner. 

"  If  I'd  only  had  a  camera  !  " 

He  recalled  the  brave  way  that  Policeman  Ryan 
stepped  out  into  the  street,  waving  his  club,  and  the 
way  he  dodged  when  the  elephant  swung  at  him  with 
his  trunk. 

"  If  I'd  only  had  a  camera  !  " 

He  recalled  the  way  the  elephant  dropped  on  his 
knees  in  the  hole.  He  recalled  the  funny  wrinkling 
of  the  elephant's  hind  legs  as  if  he  had  on  a  pair  of 
trousers  that  were  too  large  for  him. 

"  If  I'd  only  had  a  camera  !  " 

I  suppose  that  the  way  he  felt  about  this  elephant 
affair  had  a  good  deal  to  do  with  the  fact  that  after 
that  Allan  always  liked  so  much  to  photograph  ele 
phants.  But  I  must  not  get  ahead  of  my  story. 

To  properly  go  on  with  the  story  I  must  tell  you 
that  about  six  weeks  after  the  elephant  got  himself  in  a 
hole,  and  the  circus  people,  with  derrick  and  tackle, 
got  him  out  again  (you  never  saw  an  elephant  more 
truly  ashamed  of  himself  than  that  elephant),  Little 


The   Coming  of  the   Camera.  15 

McConnell  saw  Allan  Hartel  come  out  of  the  express 
office  with  a  package. 

Now  you,  reader,  will  guess  at  once  that  this  was 
a  camera,  but  McConnell  had  no  suspicion  of  this 
fact. 

"  Hello  !  "  called  McConnell,  "  what  have  you  got 
there  ?  " 

McConnell  was  thirteen,  two  years  younger  than 
Allan.  He  was  called  Little  McConnell  to  distinguish 
him  from  his  brother,  who  was  called  Big  McConnell. 
It  would  be  hard  to  say  why  no  one  ever  called  him 
Percy  —  his  first  name.  Even  Allan  always  called  him 
simply  McConnell.  He  was  the  kind  of  boy,  some 
how,  that  you  always  call  by  his  last  name  and  never 
know  why. 

McConnell  and  Allan  had  been  chums  for  a  long 
time,  and  McConnell  certainly  should  have  known 
what  was  in  the  bundle  had  he  not  been  up  to  Green- 
by  visiting  his  aunt  for  two  weeks,  and  had  not  Allan 
kept  a  certain  little  enterprise  a  secret  from  everybody 
before  that.  But  when  Allan  said,  "  Guess,"  he  was 
much  puzzled  for  a  moment.  Then  he  made  the 
most  successful  guess  he  ever  had  made  in  his  life. 

"  Not  a  camera  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  Yes,"  admitted  Allan. 

"  When  did  you  buy  it  ?  "  McConnell  felt  as  if 
he  must  have  been  left  out  of  Allan's  confidence  some 
how. 

"  I  didn't  buy  it,"  Allan  replied. 

"  Then  who  gave  it  to  you  —  your  father  ?  " 

"  It  wasn't  given  to  me,"  returned  Allan. 

"  Well,"  said  McConnell,  a  little  annoyed,  "  that  is 
just  a  trick.  You'd  have  to  buy  it  or  have  it  given 
to  you  —  wouldn't  you  ?  " 


1 6  Captain  Kodak. 

"  No,"  said  Allan  ;  "  there's  another  way." 

"Oh,  yes  —  you  could  find  it." 

"  Then  there  is  still  another  way,"  Allan  insisted. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  steal  it,  do  you  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Allan  ;  "  there  is  one  other  way." 

"  I  give  it  up,"  said  McConnell.  "  That  conun 
drum  beats  me,"  and  he  went  over  the  thing  on  his 
fingers  :  "  buy  it,  have  it  given  to  you,  find  it,  steal 
it,  —  what  else  is  there?" 

"  Win  it,"  said  Allan. 

McConnell  laughed.  "  Cheney  says  c  win  '  when 
he  means  steal." 

"  I  can't  help  that,"  insisted  Allan  ;  "  I  did  win  it." 

"  How  ?      What  was  the  game  ?  " 

"  It  wasn't  a  game.  I  wrote  a  composition.  There 
were  a  lot  of  prizes.  One  of  them  was  a  camera." 

"  You  always  were  lucky,"  said  McConnell.  Then 
to  show  that  he  wasn't  envious,  he  added :  "I'm  glad 
you  did  win  it.  1  was  thinking  the  other  day  that 
everybody  seemed  to  have  a  camera  except  us.  Is  it 
a  '  press  the  button  '  ?  " 

"  It's  both.  You  can  press  the  button  or  stand  it 
on  legs,  either  one.  It  hasn't  any  legs,  now.  They 
come  separately.  I  don't  believe  I'll  care  much  for 
them.  I  can  rest  it  on  something." 

"Yes,"  McConnell  assented;  "when  they're  on  legs 
they  sometimes  get  broken  when  some  one  kicks 
against  one  of  the  legs.  Let's  see,  what  is  it  they 
call  the  legs  ?  " 

"  Do  you  mean  tripod  ?  " 

"  Yes,  that's  it,  tripod.  I  wonder  why  it  isn't  tri- 
ped"  mused  McConnell,  as  they  continued  their  walk 
toward  Allan's  house.  "  We  say  biped  and  quadruped 
for  two  legs  and  four  legs." 


McConnell  and  Allan  had  been  chums  for  a  long  time. 


The  Coming  of  the  Camera.  19 

Allan  could  not  explain  ;  and  he  was  thinking  about 
the  camera.  "  Don't  you  want  to  help  me  fix  up  a 
dark  room  out  in  the  stable  ? " 

"  That's  just  what  I  do  want,"  exclaimed  McCon- 
nell.  "  I  want  to  learn  the  ropes.  You  see,  I  think 
that  when  Bill  hears  about  your  having  a  camera  he'll 
help  me  to  get  one  somehow.  It  seems  to  me,"  Mc- 
Connell  continued  enthusiastically,  "  I'd  almost  swap 
my  wheel  for  one  !  " 

Allan  was  thinking  about  the  dark  room.  "  Jo 
Bassett  has  his  in  the  kitchen.  I  mean  he  develops 
there  at  night,  and  Owen  has  his  in  the  attic.  I 
wanted  father  to  let  me  have  the  little  place  by  his 
office,  you  know,  where  all  the  bottles  are,  but  he 
said,  No,  sir !  I'd  have  to  doctor  my  plates  where  he 
wasn't  doctoring  his  patients,  for  he  didn't  want  either 
the  plates  or  the  patients  to  get  the  wrong  doses." 

The  boys  laughed. 

"  Is  the  stuff  dangerous  that  they  put  on  the  plates  ?" 
asked  McConnell. 

"  I  guess  not,"  answered  Allan,  "  unless  you  drink 
it.  Father  says  there  are  two  sides  to  a  person,  the 
inside  and  the  outside,  and  he  says  we  mustn't  use 
things  on  the  wrong  side.  He's  going  to  help  me 
about  the  bottles." 

"  But  you  must  take  the  pictures  first,"  said  Mc 
Connell.  He  was  impatient  to  see  the  camera,  and  to 
have  it  aimed  at  something.  "  Couldn't  we — couldn't 
you  take  something  to-day  ?  " 

"  It's  too  late  now,"  said  Allan,  regretfully.  "  We 
need  a  lot  of  light,  and  there's  scarcely  any  left.  But 
we'll  get  everything  ready,  so  far  as  we  can,  for  to 
morrow." 

When  they  reached  Allan's  house  the   Doctor  was 


2O  Captain  Kodak. 

just  getting  into  his  carriage  at  the  door.  "  Hello  !  " 
he  called  ;  "  so  it  has  come,  Allan  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  and  Allan  swung  his  package  in  the  air. 

"  Good  !  "  exclaimed  the  Doctor.  "  I  shall  want  to 
see  it  when  I  get  back." 

The  boys  made  short  work  of  the  bundle  when  they 
reached  indoors.  Wrapped  in  strong  paper  and  nes 
tling  in  "  excelsior  "  was  the  shiny,  leather-covered  box, 
with  holes,  and  buttons,  and  levers,  and  gauges,  —  a 
mysterious  box,  which  the  boys  proceeded  to  examine 
from  its  six  sides  with  great  reverence. 

With  the  aid  of  the  printed  instructions,  and  what 
knowledge  the  boys  had  acquired  from  seeing  other 
Hazenfield  cameras  (especially  Owen  Kent's),  the 
mysteries  began  one  by  one  to  seem  less  mysterious. 
It  was  great  fun  to  watch  the  images  of  the  room,  of 
the  window,  of  the  street,  in  the  little  "finder." 

"  Isn't  the  picture  going  to  be  any  bigger  than  that?" 
asked  McConnell,  in  a  disappointed  tone. 

"Oh,  yes,"  said  Allan;  "  that  is  only  to  show  where 
the  picture  will  come  on  the  plate  back  here.  It's 
only  a  miniature  of  the  real  picture." 

"  And  it  isn't  upside  down,  either,"  remarked  Mc 
Connell,  peering  into  the  little  opening  at  the  top  of 
the  box. 

"Somebody  told  me,"  said  Allan,  "that  was  because 
there  was  a  little  piece  of  looking-glass  on  the  inside 
that  twisted  the  thing  around." 

Presently  they  found  that  by  opening  a  lid  and 
looking  through  the  box  from  the  back  the  real  image 
from  the  lens  fell  on  the  "  focussing  glass,"  this  time 
upside  down. 

McConnell  laughed.  " That  always  seems  so  funny." 
He  twisted  his  head  in  an  effort  to  get  a  natural  view 


The   Coming  of  the   Camera.  21 

of  the  room  on  the  glass.     Then  he  ran  across  the 
room  and  stood  on  his  head  against  the  wall. 

"  Do  I  look  right  side  up  now  ?  "  he  demanded  of 
Allan. 

"  Yes,"  laughed  Allan,  peering  into  the  box.     <  You 
look  right  side  up,  but 
you    don't   look   very 
natural." 

"Suppose  you 
turned  the  camera  up 
side  down,"  suggested 
McConnell,  coming 
back. 

Allan  laughed  again. 
"I'm  afraid  that 
wouldn't  do  any  good," 
and  he  turned  the 
camera  to  show  Mc 
Connell  that  the  pict 
ure  was  still  hopelessly 
inverted. 

McConnell  thought 
that  he  liked  the 
"  finder  "  picture  bet 
ter.  "  It's  too  bad," 
he  said,  "  that  it  isn't 
bigger." 

Allan  had  been  read- 


"  '  Do  I  look  right  side  up  now?'1 


ing  about  cameras.  "  There  are  special  cameras,  he 
said,  "  that  have  finders  on  top  as  large  as  the  focus 
sing  glasses  at  the  back." 

McConnell  thought  that  he  would  like  one  ot  that 

°"'what's    the    use?"    asked    Allan.       "The    little 


22  Captain   Kodak. 

finder  tells  you  just  what  you  are  going  to  get.  It's 
the  picture  boiled  down  —  well!"  Allan  shook  the 
box.  "  I  hope  something  hasn't  broken  already."  A 
rattling  sound  came  from  the  inside  of  the  box. 

"  Maybe  it  was  broken  in  the  express,"  ventured 
McConnell.  But  investigation  proved  that  the  rattling 
sound  was  produced  by  a  loose  screw  under  the  front 
cover  of  the  box,  which  the  directions  showed  was  to 
be  used  when  the  camera  was  placed  on  legs. 

Having  opened  the  front  of  the  box  to  make  this 
investigation,  Allan  was  now  able  to  closely  examine 
the  lens. 

"That's  the  diaphragm,"  said  Allan,  pointing  to  the 
disk  of  metal  protruding  from  the  barrel  of  the  lens. 

"The  what?" 

"  Diaphragm,"  repeated  Allan. 

"  How  do  you  spell  it  ? " 

"  I  don't  think  I  can  spell  it.  What  do  you  always 
want  to  spell  things  for  ?  It  begins  with  a  d-i-a  and 
then  gets  all  mixed  up  —  ho,  here  it  is  in  the  direc 
tions,  if  you  must  spell  it  — '  d-i-a-p-h-r-a-g-m.'  " 

"What  does  it  do?" 

Allan  was  turning  the  disk.  "Look,"  he  said;  and 
they  saw  that  the  diaphragm  had  three  holes  in  it, 
and  that  any  one  of  these  holes  could  be  brought 
opposite  the  centre  of  the  lens. 

"  I  don't  see  how  anything  could  possibly  get 
through  that ! "  exclaimed  McConnell,  staring  at  the 
smallest  opening. 

"  Why,"  said  Allan,  "  Owen  says  you  can  photo 
graph  through  a  pinhole  —  with  a  pinhole,  I  think 
he  said." 

"  He  didn't  mean  without  a  lens,  did  he  ? "  de 
manded  McConnell,  incredulously. 


The   Coming  of  the   Camera.  23 

"  That's  an  old  trick,  McConnell,"  said  Dr.  Hartel 
in  the  doorway.  "  I  photographed  with  a  pinhole 
when  I  was  a  lad." 

"  You  did  !  "  cried  Allan.  {:  You  never  told  me 
about  it." 

"  I  don't  see  how  the  picture  ever  squeezes 
through,"  said  McConnell. 

"  Light  is  wonderful,"  mused  Allan,  prying  further 
into  the  box. 

"Everything  in  nature  is  wonderful,"  said  the  Doc 
tor  "  when  you  come  to  know  about  it.  Your  lens 
is  wonderful,  but  not  more  wonderful  than  the  hole 
among  the  leaves  of  a  tree  that  photographs  the  sun 
on  the  ground  underneath.  It  isn't  any  more  won 
derful  than  the  way  the  plate  catches  and  keeps  the 
image." 

"  The  plate  !  "  repeated  Allan.  "  I  had  forgotten 
about  that !  We  can't  make  pictures  unless  we  have 
something  to  make  them  on." 

"  I  suppose  you  can  get  them  at  the  photog 
rapher's,  can't  you  ? "  asked  the  Doctor,  examining 
the  camera. 

"  Wincher's  stationery  store  sells  cameras,"  said 
McConnell,  "  and  I  guess  they  sell  plates  too." 

Every  little  matter  associated  with  the  camera  had 
an  exciting  interest  for  the  boys  that  day.  McConnell 
came  around  in  the  evening  after  Allan  had  run  down 
to  the  stationer's  to  get  a  package  of  plates. 

"  Open  by  ruby  light  only,"  read  Allan  on  the 
box. 

"Yes,"  said  the  Doctor,  "you'll  have  to  think  about 
your  dark  room." 

"  The  dark  room  !  "  This  seemed  like  one  of  the 
most  interesting  things  about  the  whole  affair. 


24  Captain  Kodak. 

"  Though  the  box  might  have  said,  '  by  ruby  light 
or   no   light/"    replied   the    Doctor.     "There    is    no 

objection  to  your  opening  it  by  no  light  if  you  want 

.    » 
to. 

"  But  we  couldn't  see,"  protested  McConnell. 
"  You  could  feel,  though,"  the  Doctor  explained. 
"  An  old  photographer  told  me  that  he  always  preferred 
to  load  his  plate-holders  in  the  dark.  He  trusted  his 
touch  with  no  light  more  than  he  did  with  a  weak 
red  light  with  which  he  sometimes  let  his  eyes  deceive 
him." 

"  Deceive  him  how  ?  "  asked  Allan. 
"  By  letting  him  get  a  plate  wrong  side  up." 
"  Oh  !  "  said  Allan.     He  hadn't  thought  to  consider 
that  the  plates  had  a  right  and  a  wrong  side. 

"  When  you  come  to  open  your  box,"  —  then  the 
Doctor  paused  a  moment.  "  Suppose,  boys,  that  we 
go  and  load  the  plate-holders.  We'll  go  up  to  your 
room,  Allan." 

"  But  how  about  the  ruby  light  ?  " 
"  Oh,  we  shall  soon  fix  that.     Where  is  your  bicycle 
lamp  ?" 

Allan  fetched  the  well-worn  headlight  of  his  wheel, 
and  when  it  was  lighted,  the  boys  remarked  that  the 
side  glasses  were  a  rich  red. 

"  But  what  shall  we  do  with  the  front  glass  ?  "  and 
Allan  struggled  to  think  of  some  way  to  color  the 
front  glass. 

"  Wait  a  moment,"  said  the  Doctor.  "  You  will  get 
a  regular  ruby  lamp  if  you  need  one,  but  I  think  I 
can  show  you  an  emergency  method  of  using  any  lamp 
of  this  sort."  He  found  a  piece  of  reddish  powder- 
wrapper  in  his  chemical  closet,  and  this  he  fastened 
over  the  front  of  the  lantern  ;  then  taking  a  larger 


The  Coming  of  the   Camera.  25 

sheet  of  manila  paper  he  made  a  cylinder  of  this 
about  the  size  of  an  ordinary  Chinese  lantern. 

"  That,"  he  said,  "  is  a  safety  shield  to  keep  out  any 
rays  of  white  light  that  may  escape  from  any  of  these 
smaller  ventilating  holes  of  the  lamp."  The  Doctor 
placed  the  lamp  inside  the  shield.  "  Yellow  paper  is 
the  next  best  shield  to  red.  They  got  along  with  yel 
low  light  when  photographic  plates  were  less  sensitive. 
Now  they  often  use  both  yellow  and  red  glass  in  com 
bination.  Well,  I  guess  we  are  ready  to  load  up." 

Allan  led  the  procession  up  to  his  room,  carrying 
the  plate-holders  —  there  were  four  of  these  —  and  the 
lamp.  McConnell  came  next  with  the  manila  paper 
shield,  and  the  Doctor  followed  in  the  rear  with  the 
box  of  plates.  On  the  way  the  procession  met  Mrs. 
Hartel  who  had  been  putting  little  Ellen  to  bed. 

"  What  is  this  strange  procession  ?  "  she  cried. 

"  This  is  the  kodak  contingent,"  laughed  the  Doctor; 
"  a  company  of  kodakers  just  going  into  camp." 

"  And  you,  Allan,  are  you  the  captain  ?  "  asked  Mrs. 
Hartel. 

"  Yes,"  the  Doctor  replied  for  him,  "  he  is  the  captain 
—  Captain  Kodak  ;  that  is  quite  a  good  name  for  him 
now." 

"  Well,"  Mrs.  Hartel  called  after  them,  "  I  hope 
you  will  always  preserve  good  order  in  your  camps  — 
and  especially  great  cleanliness.  You  know  what  I 
mean  by  that,  Harry,"  Mrs.  Hartel  said  to  the  Doctor. 
"  I  don't  want  any  chemicals  on  the  bed-spread." 

"  Oh,  we're  going  out  to  the  stable  to  do  that," 
Allan  called  back. 

"  To  do  what  ?  —  put  chemicals  on  the  bed-spread?  " 

"  No,  no  !  "  expostulated  Allan,  at  the  door  of  his 
room,  —  "I  mean  to  use  the  chemicals." 


26  Captain  Kodak. 

They  cleared  a  little  table  in  Allan's  room  and 
placed  the  lamp  in  the  centre  of  it,  with  the  yellow 
paper  shield  in  position.  A  soft,  yellowish  light  filled 
the  room  and  made  the  three  faces  look  strangely 
unusual. 

"This  makes  me  think  of  a  conspiracy,"  said  Allan. 

"  Or  three  robbers  in  a  cave,"  said  McConnell. 

"  Now,  you  understand,  boys,  that  I  don't  really 
know  very  much  about  photography,"  said  the  Doctor. 
"  When  I  was  studying  medicine  I  had  a  room-mate 
who  was  a  photographic  crank,  and  I  once  saw  him  do 
something  of  this  sort,  though  he  used  a  small  stable 
lantern  with  a  red  bandanna  handkerchief  tied  about  it. 
This  ought  to  be  much  safer,  and  it  needs  to  be,  for 
plates  are  much  more  sensitive,  even  to  red  and  yellow 
light,  than  they  used  to  be.  I  suppose  that  some  day 
they  will  make  photographic  plates  so  sensitive  that  we 
shall  have  to  develop  them  absolutely  in  the  dark." 

"That  would  be  harder  than  loading  them  in  the 
dark,  wouldn't  it  ?  " 

"  Decidedly  harder.  Now,  boys,  let  us  get  out  the 
plates.  Probably  I  shall  do  something  that  I  shouldn't 
do,  and  you  will  learn  afterward  not  to  do  it.  But  I 
am  better  than  no  help  at  all,  am  I  not?"  the  Doctor 
added  laughingly. 

"  Yes,  indeed"!  "  Allan  admitted. 

The  Doctor  had  used  the  point  of  his  knife  in  cutting 
through  the  paper  in  the  bottom  of  the  box.  Then 
they  found  that  the  plates  were  hidden  in  three  boxes, 
one  within  the  other. 

"  We  must  not  expose  the  plates  too  long  even  to 
this  faint  light,"  the  Doctor  remarked,  as  he  opened  one 
of  the  plate-holders.  Then  he  took  out  one  of  the 
plates  and  showed  the  boys  that  the  plate  was  coated 


The   Coming  of  the   Camera.  27 

on  one  side  with  a  yellowish  substance ;  then,  still 
keeping  it  in  shadow,  he  let  each  of  the  boys  feel  both 
surfaces.  The  coated  surface  had  a  smooth  feeling. 

"  The  plain  glass  side  feels  sticky,  doesn't  it  ? "  said 
McConnell. 

"In  the  dark,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  you  can  easily  tell 
the  difference,  though  you  should  always  feel  the  plates 
near  the  margin,  because  the  moisture  of  the  ringers 
may  leave  a  stain  that  will  afterward  appear  in  the 
developed  plate.  My  chum  once  photographed  me 
sitting  by  the  window,  and  a  ringer  mark  which  fell 
on  my  face  —  that  is  to  say,  on  which  my  face  fell, 
for  I  think  the  carelessness  was  before  the  picture  was 
taken  —  made  me  look  like  a  very  disreputable  citizen 
indeed.  My  chum  said  I  looked  like  a  surprised 
pirate.  Now,  if  you  know  how  a  surprised  pirate 
looks,  you  can  fancy  my  appearance.  But  usually 
you  won't  need  to  feel  the  plates  to  place  them  prop 
erly,  for  each  maker  packs  his  plates  in  a  certain  way. 
This  maker  packs  them  face  to  face.  That,  I  should 
judge,  is  the  usual  way,  now.  And  here  goes  for  the 
plate-holders." 

When  the  plate-holders  each  had  their  two  plates  in 
position,  back  to  back,  the  Doctor  said  it  would  be  well 
to  remember  that  the  four  remaining  plates  in  the 
package  must  not  be  confused  with  the  others  when 
the  time  came  for  developing  or  changing  plates.  But, 
he  added,  "  I  know  well  enough  that  you  will  have  to 
make  all  these  mistakes  to  know  how  to  avoid  them." 

"  Did  you  do  that  with  your  prescriptions,  father  ?  " 
asked  Allan,  with  a  grin  that  was  not  concealed  even 
by  the  half  darkness. 

What  the  Doctor  might  have  answered  it  is  hard  to 
say,  for  just  then  Mrs.  Hartel  knocked  at  the  door 


28  Captain   Kodak. 

to  say  that  Owen  had  come.  In  fact,  Owen  was  then 
at  the  door. 

"  Come  in,"  called  the  Doctor,  the  plate  box  being 
safely  closed. 

"  Hello,  Owen,"  shouted  Allan  from  behind  the 
lantern.  "I  didn't  go  after  you  because  I  thought 
it  was  your  night  at  the  Choral." 

"There  wasn't  any  meeting  to-night,"  Owen  said, 
"  and  I  just  happened  to  hear  from  Cheney  that  you 
had  a  camera.  What  is  it?" 

"  A  Wizard,"  said  Allan,  "  and  a  little  beauty. 
I  wish  it  was  daylight.  I  hate  to  wait  until  to 
morrow." 

"  What  kind  of  a  lamp  is  that  ?  "  asked  Owen, 
puzzled  by  the  object  on  the  table. 

"  That,"  replied  the  Doctor,  smiling  at  the  group  of 
boys,  "  is  the  famous  Hartel  Adjustable  Lamp." 

Owen  saw  the  joke. 

"  I  suppose  we'll  fix  up  something  better  in  the 
stable,"  said  Allan. 

"In  the  stable  ?  "  Owen  looked  interested.  "  That's 
a  good  idea.  Won't  you  let  me  see  your  Wizard  ?  " 

They  all  trooped  downstairs  again.  "  Here  come 
the  kodakers  !  "  cried  McConnell.  There  they  found 
Mrs.  Hartel  and  Edith  Coles,  Allan's  cousin,  study 
ing  the  camera  by  the  sitting-room  lamp.  Edith  was 
an  orphan  niece  of  Mrs.  Hartel  who  had  been  a  mem 
ber  of  the  Hartel  household  for  six  years.  She  was 
now  of  about  Allan's  age,  and  always  was  much  in 
terested  in  everything  that  Allan  did.  Returning 
from  the  home  of  a  girl  friend  where  she  had  been 
spending  the  afternoon  and  early  evening,  she  was  as 
much  delighted  over  the  camera  as  if  it  were  some 
good  fortune  of  her  own. 


'  And  is  it  all  loaded  and  ready  ?  '  asked  Edith 


The  Corning  of  the  Camera.  31 

"  I  want  to  be  a  kodaker,  too  ! "  she  exclaimed  laugh 
ingly  in  response  to  McConnell's  jubilant  announce 
ment. 

"  I  guess  Allan  will  let  you  join  his  company,"  the 
Doctor  said. 

Owen  was  called  upon  as  the  most  experienced  in 
new  cameras  to  tell  Edith  and  the  rest  all  about  the 
Wizard ;  to  explain  the  focussing  scale,  which  Dr. 
Hartel  said  Captain  Kodak  really  should  call  a 
"range-finder";  to  point  out  features  of  the  shutter, 
through  which  the  picture  could  jump  in  the  fraction 
of  a  second,  or  which  could  be  set  so  that  a  long 
exposure  might  be  given  when  there  was  not  suf 
ficient  light  for  a  "snap  shot";  to  show  the  action  of 
the  slides  in  the  plate-holders,  the  use  of  the  dia 
phragm,  and  more  other  things  about  the  camera 
than  you  would  have  supposed  could  be  said  about 
a  box  so  small  and  innocent  looking. 

"  And  is  it  all  loaded  and  ready  ? "  asked  Edith, 
looking  down  at  Allan  and  McConnell,  who  were 
bending  over  the  camera  in  some  new  investigation. 

"  Yes,"  said  Allan. 

"  It  is  a  pity  not  to  be  able  to  try  it  now  in  some 
way." 

"  Edith,"  remonstrated  Mrs.  Hartel,  "  you  are 
always  impatient." 

"  Well,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  I  guess  they  all  are  —  I 
think  I  am  myself.  The  only  difference  is  that  Edith 
speaks  out." 

"  You  could   make  a  flash  light,"  Owen   suggested. 

At  this  moment  the  clatter  of  a  bell  could  be  heard 
in  the  adjacent  street  and  some  one  ran  rapidly  past 
the  house. 

"  A  fire  !  "  shouted  McConnell. 


32  Captain   Kodak. 

There  was  a  pause  during  which  every  one  listened 
breathlessly.  Allan  and  McConnell  were  already  at 
the  gate.  "It  is  a  fire!"  Allan  reported  in  a  mo 
ment,  "  over  by  the  East  Church." 

"  There  is  something  to  photograph  !  "  exclaimed 
the  Doctor. 

"  Could  I  ?  "  cried  Allan,  with  an  appealing  look  to 
Owen,  —  "  at  night  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  should  think  night  was  a  good  time  to 
photograph  fire,"  Edith  declared. 

"  It  has  been  done,"  Owen  admitted. 

"  I'll  try  it !  "  Allan  caught  up  the  camera.  "  Won't 
you  come,  Owen,  and  help  ?  " 

They  all  were  at  the  door  in  a  moment. 

"  Allan  !  "  called  the  Doctor.  "  You've  forgotten 
your  hat ! " 

"  Be  careful  where  you  go,"  warned  Mrs.  Hartel, 
as  she  pressed  the  hat  on  the  boy's  head  with  a 
motherly  firmness. 


II. 

THE    FIRE. 


EDITH  at  the  gate 
could  see  the  three 
boys  running  in  the 
direction  of  the  red  light 
in  the  sky.  Allan,  in  the 
lead,  was  hugging  the  cam 
era  under  his  arm.  There 
was  a  sound  of  many  feet, 
a  murmur  of  excitement 
in  the  air,  and  distant 
hoarse  shouts.  A  huge 
roll  of  black  smoke  drifted 
off  to  the  north. 

"  I  believe  it's  the  fac 
tory,"  said  the  Doctor,  at 
Edith's  shoulder.  "  Let 
us  go  too,  Edith." 

Edith  did  not  wait  for 
a  second  invitation.  She  had  been  longing  to  follow 
the  boys,  and  had  hurried  upstairs  for  her  hat  and 
was  again  in  the  hall  before  the  Doctor  had  reached 
for  his  cane. 

"  Margaret,"    called   the    Doctor    to    Mrs.    Hartel, 
"perhaps  you  wish  me  to  take  you." 

"  No,  indeed,"   said   Mrs.   Hartel.     "  I'm  afraid   I 
D  33 


34  Captain   Kodak. 

don't  appreciate  the  fun  of  fires.  I  had  rather  have 
all  of  you  tell  me  about  it." 

"  We  shall ! "  cried  Edith  from  the  walk. 

It  was  as  the  Doctor  expected.  Flames  had  broken 
out  in  the  southern  wing  of  the  factory.  The  eastern 
windows  on  the  first  floor  of  the  wing  showed  an 
orange-red  glare  that  made  Edith  think  of  the  re 
flected  light  on  window-panes  when  the  sun  is  going 
down.  The  flames  evidently  had  passed  through  to 
the  second  floor  and  were  creeping  eastward,  though 
the  dense  masses  of  smoke  made  it  difficult  at  times 
to  tell  precisely  what  parts  of  the  building  were  ac 
tually  burning. 

The  Hazenfield  engines  were  hard  at  work.  The 
ground  trembled  with  the  thump,  thump,  thump  of 
the  steam  pumps,  the  black  figures  of  the  firemen 
scurried  this  way  and  that  with  many  confused 
shouts,  while  the  inky  line  of  the  hose  twisted  its 
way  to  the  wing  door  of  the  factory. 

It  was  at  the  wing  door  that  some  men  were  carry 
ing  out  certain  heavy  cans  which  they  placed  at  some 
distance  from  the  burning  building.  These  men  were 
dripping  with  the  hose  water,  the  light  of  the  flames 
glittering  on  their  clothes  and  faces. 

"  Why  don't  they  pour  the  water  through  the  win 
dows  ? "  cried  Edith. 

"  Because  they  know  they  can't  save  the  wing,"  re 
plied  the  Doctor;  "  they  don't  want  to  increase  the 
draught  by  breaking  the  windows  before  the  heat 
destroys  the  glass,  and  they  are  fighting  indoors  to 
keep  the  flames  from  spreading  to  the  main  building." 

Almost  as  the  Doctor  spoke  four  of  the  upper 
story  windows  blew  out,  a  rush  of  flame  following 
and  mounting  high  over  the  roof. 


The   Fire.  35 

"  There  !  "  exclaimed  Edith,  "  they  must  pour  in 
the  water  now !  " 

"  Why,  you  almost  seem  glad,  Edith,"  said  the 
Doctor. 

"Well,"  pleaded  Edith,  "it  seems  so  foolish  not  to 
pour  the  water  where  most  of  the  fire  is." 

Two  streams  of  water  now  leaped  up  to  the  open 
windows  and  sizzled  and  snorted  under  the  blazing 

D 

eaves.  The  flames  greeted  the  serpents  of  water  with 
a  howl  of  rage  and  defiance,  and  fresh  clouds  of  smoke 
arose  at  the  places  where  they  fought  together. 

"  I  wonder  where  the  boys  are  ?  "  queried  Edith. 

The  Doctor  had  been  wondering  the  same  thing. 

In  a  great  circle  about  the  burning  factory  were  the 
faces  of  the  spectators  gleaming  in  the  firelight.  The 
stillness  of  the  crowd  was  astonishing.  The  crackle 
of  the  flames  could  be  heard  with  a  strange  distinct 
ness,  and  the  hoarse  voice  of  the  engine  foreman 
sounded  clear  above  all  other  voices.  Only  when 
the  window-glass  fell  out  or  some  other  fresh  event  of 
this  kind  happened,  did  the  crowd  make  a  noticeable 
sound.  Then  there  would  be  a  general  murmur 
running  completely  around  the  circle. 

If  the  Doctor  and  Edith  could  have  seen  more  dis 
tinctly  in  the  uncertain  light  the  embankment  to  the 
south  of  the  burning  wing,  where  the  crowd  was 
thinnest,  they  would  have  discovered  Allan  and  his 
two  companions  grouped  closely  in  earnest  consulta 
tion. 

As  he  had  been  running  to  the  fire  it  had  seemed 
very  odd  and  foolish  to  Allan  to  be  carrying  the 
camera,  and  when  they  actually  reached  the  scene  of 
the  fire  the  carrying  of  the  camera  seemed  even  more 
foolish  than  before.  Yet  it  certainly  made  the  whole 


36  Captain   Kodak. 

affair  seem  more  like  an  adventure  to  have  the  camera 
along.  It  seemed  like  going  armed. 

"  Phew  !  "  ejaculated  McConnell,  "  it's  going  to 
be  a  whopper !  It's  all  blazing  inside  !  Come  over 
here  !  " 

"  Let's  go  around  to  where  the  engines  are,"  sug 
gested  Allan. 

"  Here's  a  good  place  !  "  Owen  called,  pointing  to 
the  embankment. 

The  three  boys  clambered  up  the  embankment  in  an 
excitement  which  only  a  fire  can  call  out. 

Allan's  first  thought  was  of  the  camera.  "  Do  you 
think  I  might  try  a  snap  ? "  he  asked  Owen. 

"  I  should  try  one  snap,"  Owen  suggested,  "just 
as  an  experiment,  and  then  try  one  or  two  seconds' 
time." 

Allan  fixed  his  "  range-finder,"  as  Doctor  Hartel 
had  called  it,  for  the  full  distance,  which  made  the 
focus  accurate  at  fifty  feet  and  beyond. 

"  Wait  a  moment !  "  cried  McConnell,  "  it  isn't 
blazing  high  now." 

Allan  was  locating  the  factory  in  his  "  finder." 
Nothing  but  spots  of  fire  were  visible  there.  Mc 
Connell  was  eager  for  a  glimpse  of  the  little  picture. 

Presently  Allan  said,  "  I  guess  I'll  snap  it  now, 
Owen  ! "  and  he  pressed  the  trigger. 

"  That'll  be  great !  "  McConnell  exclaimed. 

"  Did  you  draw  the  slide  ?  "  Owen  asked. 

Allan  looked  stupid.  "  No,"  he  confessed,  "  I 
didn't."  Then  he  opened  the  box,  drew  the  slide 
that  hid  a  plate,  set  his  shutter  again,  Owen  stooped 
forward  to  see  that  the  front  opening  was  uncovered, 
and  Allan  pressed  the  trigger  once  more. 

"  This  time  I  guess  we  caught  it ! "  Allan  said. 


'Wait  a  moment!'  cried  McConnell." 


The   Fire.  39 

Owen  now  advised  that  they  rest  the  camera  on  a 
large  stone  for  making  the  "  time  exposure,"  and  he 
assisted  Allan  in  setting  the  shutter  so  that  the  expo 
sure  could  be  made  by  opening  and  closing  the  slid 
ing  front  of  the  box.  Each  moment  the  building 
became  more  brilliantly  lighted.  The  flames  had 
stolen  across  the  end  of  the  wing  from  east  to  west, 
and  when  Allan  opened  the  little  door  for  two  seconds 
—  McConnell  quickly  counted  five  in  the  same  space 
of  time  —  the  main  floor  was  more  than  half  swept 
by  the  fire. 

The  efforts  of  the  firemen  to  keep  the  fire  in  the 
wing  seemed  likely  to  succeed,  though  they  could  not 
have  succeeded  had  there  been  any  wind,  particularly 
had  there  been  a  wind  from  the  south.  It  was  excit 
ing  to  watch  the  battle  between  fire  and  water  —  the 
fire  leaping  blindly  hither  and  thither  like  a  wild  beast; 
the  water  guided  by  skilful  men  who  stood  at  their 
posts  with  hats  pulled  low  to  keep  the  blistering  heat 
out  of  their  faces. 

While  the  boys  were  preparing  for  a  third  shot,  the 
flames  came  streaming  through  a  hole  in  the  roof  near 
the  cornice,  and  fluttered  like  a  great  yellow  banner 
thirty  or  forty  feet  long. 

a  Now  !  "  screamed  McConnell  in  great  excitement, 
"  there's  a  picture  for  you  !  " 

Allan  pressed  the  trigger,  and  not  a  moment  too 
soon,  for  a  stream  of  water  struck  the  opening  in  the 
roof,  and  the  great  golden  banner  of  fire  shrank  rap 
idly  and  finally  disappeared  in  clouds  of  steam  and 
smoke.  The  boys  found  it  hard  to  watch  the  fire  and 
not  wish  that  the  firemen  would  place  the  streams  in 
some  spot  they  seemed  to  have  overlooked.  It  was 
like  watching  a  man  paint  a  fence  or  hoe  a  garden. 


4o 


Captain   Kodak. 


There  were  places  which  up  to  the  last  moment 
seemed  likely  to  be  forgotten  altogether. 

This  was  particularly  true  of  a  little  river  of  fire 
in  the  cornice  which  slowly  crept  along  until  it  seemed 
on  the  point  of  reaching  the  main  building. 

"  I  wonder  why  they  don't  put  out  that  place  in 
the  cornice,"  Allan  said  impatiently  ;  "  I'm  sure  they 
don't  see  that." 

Owen  and  McConnell  had  both  noticed  this  stealthy 
movement  of  the  fire. 

"  I  almost  feel  like  going  over  and  telling  them," 
said  McConnell.  "  If  they  don't  hurry  it'll  surely 
catch  the  main  roof." 

Then  swish !  came  No.  2  engine's  hose,  and  the 
little  stream  of  fire  instantly  disappeared. 

"  Probably  they  know  what  they  are  about  after 
all,"  admitted  Allan. 


"The  spots  of  fire." 


The  Fire, 


"The  flames  came  streaming  through  a  hole  in  the  roof." 

Owen  laughed.  "  But  I  think,  McConnell,  you 
ought  to  go  over  and  give  them  the  advantage  of 
your  advice." 

All  three  were  sitting  on  the  edge  of  the  embank 
ment  watching  the  waning  fire,  when  a  voice  in  the 
darkness  called,  "  Hello,  boys  !  " 

It  was  Dr.  Hartel  and  Edith.  "We  have  been 
looking  for  you  everywhere,"  said  the  Doctor.  "  We 
watched  for  three  boys  in  a  bunch." 

"  Yes,"  laughed  Edith,  "  there  were  different  size 
bunches,  and  when  we  saw  a  bunch  of  three  —  " 

"  With  a  black  box,"  put  in  the  Doctor. 

"  —  with  a  black  box,  we  knew  it  was  you." 

"  We  have  made  three  pictures  of  the  fire,"  said 
Allan. 

"You  mean  three  exposures,  don't  you,  Allan?" 
the  Doctor  asked,  with  his  teasing  smile.  "  Better 


42  Captain   Kodak. 

wait  until  after   the  developing   before   talking  about 
pictures." 

"Anyway,"  persisted  McConnell,  "it  was  aimed 
right,  and  I  heard  it  click." 

"  And  I  saw  that  the  front  door  was  open,"  laughed 
Owen. 

"  And  the  slide  out,"  added  Allan. 

"Of  course,"  said  Owen,  "I  don't  suppose  there 
will  be  much  on  the  plates  but  the  flames." 

"  It  is  getting  chilly,  Edith,"  said  the  Doctor,  after 
a  time.  c<  I  guess  that  you  and  I  had  better  stroll 
home.  They  have  the  thing  under  control  now. 
Don't  stay  too  long,  boys." 

The  Doctor  had  not  gone  far  when  Allan  came 
running  after  them  to  say  that  Owen  had  suggested 
using  some  of  his  developer  for  the  plates,  and  that 
he  was  to  bring  his  dark-room  lamp  with  him.  "  We 
are  going  to  begin  up  to  the  coach-house  to-night." 

"  To-night  ?  "  repeated  the  Doctor. 

"  Yes,"  returned  Allan,  "  it's  only  half-past  nine,  and 
Owen  says  we  can  do  it  all  in  an  hour." 

And  so,  after  waiting  about  fifteen  minutes  longer, 
until  the  fire  had  dwindled  to  a  point  at  which  the  fire 
chief  saw  only  an  hour's  work  ahead  of  him  before 
leaving  the  blackened  wing  of  the  factory  to  the  care 
of  the  watchman,  the  boys  started  for  'Owen's  and 
were  not  long  in  starting  back  eagerly  for  the  coach 
house. 


III. 


UNDER   THE    RED    LAMP. 


A 


BOVE  the  stalls  in 
Dr.  Hartel's  stable 
were  three  rooms, 
in  one  of  which  a  coach 
man  used  to  sleep  in  the 
days  when  the  place  had 
been  used  by  Judge  Sol- 
ling.  The  two  other 
rooms  were  only  partly 
finished.  In  one  of  these 
was  a  sink  with  running 

o 

water,  which  had  long 
been  marked  in  Allan's 
fancy  as  the  focal  point 
of  the  dark  room. 

"  We  can't  fix  any 
thing  here  to-night,"  said 
Owen. 

"  Of  course  not,"  ad 
mitted  Allan. 

Owen  had  carried  over 
two  trays,  "  one  for  de 
veloping  and  the  other  for  fixing,"  and  at  his  sugges 
tion  Allan  procured  an  "  agate  iron  "  tray  from  the 
kitchen  to  wash  the  plates  in.  "  Mind  you  fetch  it 
back  !  "  said  Nora. 

43 


44  Captain   Kodak. 

"  Is  it  dark  enough  here  ? "  asked  Allan,  turning 
to  the  back  windows. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Owen  ;  "  but  in  the  daytime  you 
would  have  to  cover  up  the  windows  in  some  way,  and 
keep  the  daylight  in  the  front  rooms  from  getting  in 
around  these  doors." 

Meanwhile  Owen,  in  the  red  light  of  his  lamp,  was 
fussing  with  two  bottles,  a  proceeding  which  excited 
the  greatest  interest  on  the  part  of  the  two  other  boys. 
Allan  often  had  seen  his  father  make  chemical  experi 
ments,  and  he  had  seen  Owen  develop  once  before; 
but  he  was  not  a  photographer  then,  and  had  not 
watched  each  motion  with  the  same  feeling  of  concern 
and  anticipation. 

"  I  forgot  my  graduate,"  Owen  complained. 

"  Shall  I  get  one  of  father's  ?  "  asked  Allan. 

"  No,  I  can  guess  the  amount  pretty  well  in  this  old 
glass." 

Owen  poured  from  each  of  his  bottles,  and  then 
added  water  from  the  tap,  inspected  the  trays  critically, 
and  turned  the  flame  of  the  lamp  a  little  lower. 
"  Now,"  he  said,  "  we  are  all  ready." 

"  Ship  ahoy  !  "  came  a  voice  from  the  stable  stairs. 
It  was  the  Doctor. 

"  Can't  we  come  ?  "     That  was  Edith. 

"  Yes,  yes  !  Come  right  up  !  "  shouted  Allan,  run 
ning  to  the  head  of  the  stairs  to  pilot  the  newcomers, 
"though  I  don't  know  where  you  are  going  to  sit  — 
we  haven't  any  chairs." 

"  Oh,  we  shan't  mind  that !  "  said  the  Doctor. 

"We  are  just  ready,"  said  Owen. 

Allan  thought  it  was  good  of  Owen  to  say  "  we," 
for  he  himself  had  taken  but  small  part  in  the  impor 
tant  preparations. 


Under   the   Red   Lamp.  45 

"  I  hope  this  won't  make  you  nervous,  Owen,"  the 
Doctor  said.  "  I  don't  know  that  I  should  want  to 
perform  an  operation  with  so  many  onlookers." 

"  I  may  not  do  the  right  thing,"  Owen  confessed ; 
"  but  I  only  know  how  to  do  the  one  thing,  anyway, 
and  that  is  to  pour  on  the  developer  and  let  the  thing 

g°" 

The  Doctor  laughed    quietly.     "  I    see,"   he    said, 

"you  administer  the  medicine  and  let  nature  do  the 
rest.  After  all,  that  is  the  about  the  most  any  of  us 
can  do." 

"  Now,"  asked  Allan,  "  do  you  want  one  of  the 
plates  ?  "  He  had  been  standing  with  the  plate-holders 
in  his  hand. 

"  Yes,"  Owen  answered,  "  we're  all  ready." 

They  opened  a  holder  and  took  out  one  of  the 
plates.  Owen  placed  the  plate  in  one  of  the  trays, 
poured  his  developing  mixture  over  it,  and  began 
gently  to  rock  the  tray,  the  spectators  crowding  about 
him  in  a  semicircle. 

"  Of  course,"  said  Owen,  "  it  may  be  a  long  time 
coming  up."  Presently  he  added,  "  It  may  be  very 
much  under-exposed,  you  know." 

At  the  end  of  five  minutes  the  plate  remained 
obstinately  free  from  any  sign  of  an  image. 

"  I  don't  see  a  thing,"  said  Edith. 

"  But,  Edith  !  "  expostulated  Allan,  "  it  sometimes 
takes  a  long  while." 

"  I  think  I  have  done  the  thing  right,"  murmured 
Owen,  in  perplexity.  Then  he  suddenly  turned  to 
Allan.  "  Say,  which  one  of  the  plates  is  this  ?  " 

Allan's  face  took  on  a  queer  look  in  the  red  light. 
"  I  don't  know,"  he  answered  blankly.  It  had  not  oc 
curred  to  him  before.  "  I  know  we  didn't  double  any." 


46  Captain   Kodak. 

"  I  hope  not,"  Owen  interposed  anxiously. 

"  But  I  forgot  to  turn  the  holder-slides  over  to 
show  which  had  been  exposed." 

"Well,"  said  Owen,  "we'll  have  to  try  them  until 
we  find  the  three  exposed  ones.  You  had  the  four 
holders  in  the  box  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  asserted  Allan,  "  eight  plates." 

At  the  end  of  another  five  minutes,  Owen  said, 
"  I'm  sure  this  can't  be  one  of  the  exposed  plates," 
and,  with  a  last  flip  of  the  developer,  he  took  the  plate 
out  and  placed  it  on  the  shelf  over  the  sink. 

"  And  can't  you  use  it  again  ?  "  asked  Edith,  sym 
pathetically. 

Owen  shook  his  head.  "  No.  That  one's  done 
for.  Now,"  he  added,  "  let  us  try  one  of  the  others." 

"  I'm  sure  this  is  one,"  said  Allan,  repentantly. 
He  felt  as  if  he  had  made  a  bad  blunder  on  his  first 
photographic  expedition.  "  I  remember  now  which 
way  I  carried  the  holders,"  and  he  handed  Owen  an 
other  plate. 

The  semicircle  of  faces  drew  about  Owen's  shoul 
ders  again.  It  seemed  a  long  while  to  wait,  while 
Owen  rocked  the  tray  affectionately,  as  if  it  were  a 
cradle,  and  Allan's  spirits  had  begun  to  fall,  when 
McConnell  cried,  "There's  something!  " 

"  It's  just  a  spot  on  the  plate,"  said  Edith. 

Owen  shook  the  tray  as  if  to  dislodge  something 
from  the  plate.  "  Why,  there  are  several  of  them  !  " 
he  cried.  "  They  must  be  the  windows  of  the 
factory  ! " 

"  Hooray  !  "  shouted  McConnell. 

"  Black  windows?  "  asked  Edith,  perplexed. 

"  It  is  the  fire,"  said  the  doctor.  "  Light  objects 
make  a  black  image  on  the  plate.  That  is  why  they 


Under  the  Red  Lamp.  47 

can  print  from  the  negative.  Daguerre  made  a  posi 
tive —  a  natural  image  —  on  a  metal  plate  which  could 
not  be  duplicated.  That  was  a  daguerreotype.  The 
English  inventor  of  photography  made  negatives  first 
on  paper  and  then  on  glass.  These  could  be  used  for 
making  any  number  of  positives  or  prints." 

"  I  see,"  said  Edith,  her  eyes  on  the  plate.  "  Is 
anything  more  coming,  Owen  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  McConnell,  "  more  little  spots,  and 
they  are  getting  blacker.  I  think  I  see  some  flames 
shooting  up." 

But  Owen  did  not  seem  very  sanguine.  "  It  doesn't 
seem  to  come  out  very  well,"  he  mused.  "  I  guess 
this  one  is  the  snap  shot." 

"  Then  there  will  be  more  on  the  two  others  ! " 
cried  Allan,  hopefully. 

They  all  were  greatly  interested  to  think  that  the 
other  plates  might  have  more  on  them.  Owen's  guess 
proved  quite  correct.  The  other  plates  from  the  same 
holder  came  up  in  a  much  shorter  time. 

"  Why,  yes  !  "  Edith  exclaimed.     "  You  can  see  the 

window-sash   plainly,  and  the  fire  is  spreading  in  this 

a 
one. 

"  You  are  right,  Edith,"  said  the  Doctor.  "  There 
are  flames  in  several  more  of  the  windows  here  than  in 
the  other  plates.  And  I  can  see  faint  outlines  of  the 
building  here  and  there  —  and  what  looks  like  a 

O 

stream   of  water,   lighted   up  by  the   fire,  in   another 

i       » 
place. 

"  And  so  we  have  something  after  all  !  "  Allan  said, 
jubilantly. 

The  third  plate  displayed  the  fire  at  its  worst,  when 
the  flames  broke  through  the  roof,  and  they  were  all 
watching  the  growth  of  the  image  under  the  soft 


48  Captain  Kodak. 

swish  of  the  developer  when  a  sharp  rap  sounded 
on  the  stable  door  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs. 

"  A  call,  uncle,"  said  Edith,  resentfully.  "  They 
always  want  you  when  we  want  you,  don't  they  ?  " 

The  Doctor  went  to  the  door,  and  he  could  be 
heard  talking  in  a  low  tone  for  some  moments. 
Then  he  said,  "  Good  night  !  "  and  came  up  again 
quickly. 

"  Didn't  you  have  to  go  ?  "  asked  Edith. 

"  Here's  something  extraordinary,  Allan  ! "  the 
Doctor  exclaimed ;  "  the  factory  company  wants  your 
negatives  ! " 

"  My  negatives  !  "     Allan  looked  amazed. 

"  The  fire  pictures  ?  "  asked  McConnell,  staring  at 
the  Doctor. 

"  Yes.  The  superintendent  has  just  told  me  that 
there  is  a  possibility  that  the  fire  was  started  by  an  in 
cendiary.  But  there  is  another  question  —  in  fact,  they 
are  both  bound  up  together.  It  appears  that  those 
cans  we  saw  them  taking  out  contained  naphtha,  and 
that  the  naphtha  was  there  without  special  permission 
from  the  insurance  people.  But  the  factory  people 
say  the  fire  started  at  some  distance  from  the 
naphtha,  and  they  have  the  evidence  of  eye-witnesses 
that  it  did  start  there.  Moreover,  they  rescued  every 
can  containing  naphtha.  The  cans  were  untouched  and 
intact.  Yet  there  will  be  a  controversy,  and  the  fac 
tory  people,  having  heard  that  photographs  of  the  fire 
were  taken,  the  superintendent  thinks  they  might  be 
first-class  corroborative  evidence  that  the  fire  started 
on  the  east  side  of  the  wing,  the  side  opposite  the 
storage  place  of  the  naphtha,  —  would  head  off  any 
trouble  with  the  insurance  people." 

"Well,  well !"  was  all  Allan  could  say. 


"It  was  the  superintendent. 


Under  the  Red  Lamp.  51 

"  It  did  start  on  the  east  side,"  declared  Edith. 
"  We  all  saw  it." 

"  And  the  camera  saw  it,"  added  McConnell,  with 
great  conviction. 

Owen's  hands  were  trembling  a  little.  "  I  mustn't 
drop  this  now,"  he  muttered. 

Then  there  was  a  rattle  at  the  door  below,  and  a 
step  on  the  stair. 

As  the  Doctor  started  forward  again  a  man's  head 
appeared  above  the  stair  rail.  It  was  the  superin 
tendent.  His  eyes  blinked  in  an  unaccustomed  light. 
For  a  moment  he  did  not  seem  to  be  able  to  make  out 
the  situation. 

"  I  say,  Doctor,"  said  the  superintendent.  "  I'd 
like  to  be  able  to  say  to  our  president  that  we  have 
secured  these  negatives.  I'll  send  you  a  check  for 
fifty  dollars  if  you'll  say  they're  ours." 

"  What  do  you  say,  Allan  ?  "  asked  the  Doctor, 
turning  about. 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  red  light  Allan  probably 
would  have  looked  very  white  in  the  face. 

"  I  suppose  they  can  have  them  ?  "  said  the  Doctor 
when  Allan  did  not  seem  to  find  words.  "  You  will 
be  glad  that  they  can  be  so  useful,  and  —  how  much  did 
you  say,  Mr.  Superintendent?"  the  Doctor  went  on, 
with  an  enjoyment  of  Allan's  agreeable  stupefaction. 

"  Fifty  dollars,"  repeated  the  superintendent. 
"  They'll  be  worth  that  to  the  company.  Anyway, 
I'll  risk  making  that  offer.  And  I  want  the  thing 
understood.  Is  it  a  go  ?  " 

"  Oh,  you  can  have  them  !  "  Allan  said.  And  the 
superintendent  repeated  his  "  Good  night !  "  shuffled 
his  way  cautiously  down  the  dark  stairs  and  was 
gone. 


52  Captain  Kodak. 

No  one  said  a  word  until  the  superintendent  closed 
the  door  below. 

"  Fifty  dollars  !  "  was  all  Allan  said. 

"  I  hope  they  come  out  well,"  said  Owen,  fervently. 

"  I  wish  I  could  help,"  murmured  Edith. 

"  I  think  that  Dr.  Owen  is  doing  the  best  that  could 
be  done  with  the  patients,"  laughed  Dr.  Hartel. 

Then  McConnell  spoke  up.  "  Gee  whiz,  Allan, 
you  can  buy  a  folding  cartridge  camera  now  !  " 


IV. 


AN    ILL-KEPT   SECRET. 


THE  visit  of  the 
factory  superin 
tendent  gave   a 
new  excitement  to  fur 
ther  work  on  the  nega 
tives. 

"  We  certainly  shall 
have  to  be  very  care 
ful  of  them  now,"  said 
Allan. 

"  Yes,"  said  Mc- 
Connell,  "  they  are 
worth  $16.66  apiece 
—  oh,  yes,  and  a  frac 
tion  !  " 

"  Just  to  think  !  " 
Edith  exclaimed,  "that 
this  strange  thing  should  happen  on  the  very  first 
night  you  have  your  camera." 

Owen  was  holding  the  third   negative  between  his 
eyes  and  the  lamp.     "  This  is  quite  good,"  he  said. 

"Yes,"   Allan    remarked.     "And    you    deserve  all 
the  credit.      We'll  have  to  share  the  prize  money." 

"  No,  no  !  "  Owen  answered  to  this.     "  You  could 
have  done  it  all  without  me.      It  was  simple  enough." 

53 


54  Captain   Kodak. 

"  It  is  simple  enough  when  you  know  how,  isn't 
it  ?  "  laughed  the  Doctor.  "  Well,  Allan,  we'll  have  to 
leave  you  with  your  prize  plates.  Mind  you  wash 
them  carefully.  If  they  are  to  be  used  as  evidence 
they  shouldn't  have  any  questionable  spots  on  them 
anywhere.  To  be  'sure  a  flaw  could  be  distinguished 
from  a  genuine  light  impression,  unless  it  was  a  dis 
coloration  in  the  emulsion.  That's  the  reason  the 
negatives  themselves  are  better  evidence  than  the 
prints  from  the  negatives.  The  negatives  could  be 
tinkered  so  as  to  show  fire  in  every  window,  I  sup 
pose.  But  the  negatives  themselves  would  show  that 
this  had  been  done.  So  many  tricks  can  be  done  in 
photography  that  I  don't  suppose  that  a  photograph  in 
itself  could  even  be  offered  as  proof.  But  it  is  pretty 
good  corroborative  evidence  when  you  have  the 
negative." 

"  That  is  what  this  would  be,  isn't  it  ? "  asked 
Edith,  "  corroborative  evidence  ?  " 

"  I  presume  so,  if  the  matter  goes  so  far.  They 
probably  can  prove  by  eye-witnesses  that  the  fire 
started  on  the  east  side  of  the  wing,  at  least  I  should 
think  so  ;  but  the  camera  will  be  a  first-rate  supple 
mentary  witness.  We  can  testify  that  it  was  abso 
lutely  impartial." 

"  Good  fellow,"  murmured  Edith,  patting  the 
camera  as  if  it  were  her  dog  Sandy. 

After  the  Doctor  and  Edith  had  gone  Owen  and 
Allan  stood  the  three  plates  in  a  bucket  and  placed 
the  bucket  under  the  tap. 

"  That's  as  good  a  washing-box  as  any,"  Owen 
said,  "  when  you  have  only  three  plates." 

While  the  water  overflowed  from  the  bucket  into 
the  sink  the  three  boys  sat  on  some  boxes  that  were 


An   Ill-kept  Secret.  55 

stored  in  the  room,  and  talked  of  the  fire,  and  the 
camera,  and  picture-making,  and  Owen  related  some 
of  the  things  that  happened  to  him. 

"The  first  pictures  I  ever  made,"  he  said,  "were 
of  a  railroad  train.  I  took  one  of  the  train  coming  up 
the  track,  and  one  when  it  was  going  by.  I  got  them 
both  on  the  one  plate,  and  it  was  the  worst  smash-up 
you  ever  saw." 

"  I  suppose  every  one  makes  doubles,"  suggested 
Allan. 

"  Oh,  yes,  they  say  that  even  big  photographers  do 
it  sometimes.  And  it  is  rough  !  You  see  you  only 
make  one  mistake  and  lose  two  pictures." 

"  It  doesn't  seem  fair,  does  it  ?  "  mused  McConnell, 
rather  sleepily.  McConnell  usually  went  to  bed  at 
nine. 

When  the  plates  had  been  immersed  in  the  flowing 
water  for  half  an  hour,  Owen  stood  them  on  a  near-by 
shelf,  resting  them  against  the  wall.  "  They'll  be  dry 
in  the  morning." 

"  And  then  we  can  make  proofs,"  said  Allan. 

Under  these  circumstances  it  is  not  surprising  that 
Allan  was  up  early  the  next  morning  and  out  to  the 
dark  room  to  look  at  his  plates.  To  his  great  disap 
pointment  they  were  not  yet  dry.  The  upper  floor 
of  the  stable  was  left  without  ventilation,  and  the  sur 
faces  of  the  plates  were  still  moist  save  for  a  space  of 
half  an  inch  around  the  edges. 

When  Allan  consulted  his  father,  Dr.  Hartel  advised 
him  to  open  the  windows  and  to  place  the  plates  in  a 
current  of  air.  Having  done  this,  Allan  started  out  at 
once  to  get  the  materials  for  his  developing  outfit.  In 
view  of  the  fifty  dollars  that  was  to  come  from  the 
plates,  Allan  thought  that  he  might  spend  a  little  more 


56  Captain   Kodak. 

than  he  first  had  intended  to  spend  on  his  dark  room. 
He  determined  to  divide  the  money  with  Owen,  but 
even  with  twenty-five  dollars  he  could,  if  he  chose, 
buy  a  fine  new  camera  and  still  have  money  left. 

On  his  way  to  Owen,  who  was  going  with  him  to 
the  Hazenfield  stationers'  where  they  sold  "  amateur 
photographic  outfits,"  Allan  met  Cheney,  who  had 
seen  him  at  the  fire  with  the  camera.  Allan  did  not 
like  Cheney  ;  the  truth  is,  that  Cheney  did  not  have 
a  very  good  reputation  in  Hazenfield.  He  had  been 
expelled  from  the  high  school,  and  was  what  is  known 
as  a  suspicious  and  troublesome  boy. 

"  What  were  you  trying  to  do  ?  "  demanded  Cheney, 
"  photographing  in  the  dark  ?  " 

"  The  fire  wasn't  dark,"  returned  Allan. 

"You  don't  mean  to  say  that  you  tried  to  photo 
graph  the  fire !  " 

"  Of  course  I  do." 

"  Did  you  get  it  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  did." 

"  Well,"  said  Cheney,  as  if  he  did  not  believe  the 
assertion,  "  I'd  like  to  see  'em." 

"  They're  not  mine  to  show,  now,"  said  Allan,  with 
a  pride  that  he  could  not  conceal,  even  from  Cheney. 
"  I  sold  them." 

"  Sold  'em  !  "  exclaimed  Cheney.     "  To  who  ?  " 

"  To  the  factory  people.  There's  something  about 
the  factory  being  set  afire,  and  beside  that  there's  some 
insurance  trouble  about  where  the  fire  started,  and 
they've  given  me  fifty  dollars  for  the  plates." 

Cheney  gave  a  long  whistle.  "  Golly  !  "  he  cried. 
"  You're  right  in  it,  ain't  yer  !  Fifty  dollars  !  I 
didn't  suppose  any  picture  could  ever  be  worth  as 
much  as  that." 


An   Ill-kept  Secret.  c^-j 

"  You  see,"  said  Allan,  "  they  can  use  the  pictures 
as  proof  if  there's  any  trouble." 

"  Proof  of  what  ?  "  Cheney  demanded  incredu 
lously. 

"  Proof  of  which  side  of  the  wing  the  fire  started." 

Cheney  smiled  as  if  this  idea  was  very  amusing. 
"  I  hope  you  get  it,"  he  said,  as  Allan  went  on. 

Allan  felt  rather  sorry  to  have  said  anything  to 
Cheney  about  the  sale  of  the  plates.  When  he  came 
to  think  the  thing  over  he  could  see  that  the  factory 
people,  while  they  had  not  said  so,  might  not  wish  to 
have  the  matter  known.  Allan  felt,  too,  as  if  he  had 
been  boasting,  even  though  Cheney  had  drawn  him 
into  the  confession. 

He  made  up  his  mind  not  to  say  a  word  to  any  one 
else,  and  determined  to  ask  Owen  and  McConnell  not 
to  speak  about  it.  When  Owen  heard  from  Allan 
about  his  meeting  with  Cheney  and  how  sorry  he  was 
that  he  had  said  anything  to  Cheney,  he  himself  agreed 
with  Allan. 

"  I  shan't  mention  it,"  Owen  assured  Allan.  "  I 
haven't  mentioned  it  to  any  one  but  mother.  She 
wondered  where  I  had  been,  of  course.  I  think  you 
had  better  speak  to  McConnell." 

"  I  shall,"  said  Allan.  "  Big  McConnell  would  be 
just  the  one  to  spread  the  thing  everywhere." 

"  Let  us  go  around  to  McConnell's  now,"  sug 
gested  Owen,  "  and  tell  him  about  it." 

They  found  McConnell  sitting  in  a  swing  in  his 
yard  reading  a  book.  "  McConnell  is  always  read 
ing,"  said  Owen. 

"  Hello  !"  called  Allan.  "What  are  you  reading, 
McConnell  ?  I'll  bet  it  is  about  an  Indian,  a  detec 
tive,  or  a  princess." 


58  Captain  Kodak. 

"  Wrong,"  replied  McConnell.  "  It's  about  a 
farmer's  boy." 

"  And  what  does  he  get  to  be?  "  Owen  asked. 

"  I  don't  know  yet,"  McConnell  returned.  "  Maybe 
a  farmer  !  "  he  added,  laughing. 

Allan  then  spoke  about  the  fire  and  the  pictures. 

"  I  tell  you,"  said  McConnell,  "  I  haven't  said 
anything  to  anybody  but  the  folks  at  home,  and  Billy 
Basset,  and  the  butcher,  and  —  yes,  and  Mr.  Han- 
ford." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Owen,  "  I  guess  we  might  as 
well  tell  the  rest  of  the  town." 

"What  do  you  mean  ?  "   McConnell  was  mystified. 

"  Only  that  I  thought  that  maybe  we  should  keep 
quiet  about  selling  the  pictures." 

"  I  see,"  McConnell  assented,  "  until  you  get  the 
money." 

"  Oh,  I  mean  anyway,"  said  Allan.  "  Perhaps  the 
factory  folks  may  not  want  everybody  to  know,  and 
everybody  would  know  if  they  heard  that  they  had 
bought  the  plates." 

"  That  settles  it !  "  exclaimed  McConnell,  "  I'll  be 
quiet.  I  won't  even  tell  the  postman,  and  I  always 
tell  him  everything.  Have  you  printed  the  proofs 
yet  ?  " 

"  No  ;  the  plates  aren't  dry  yet,  somehow.  We  are 
going  down  to  get  the  dark-room  things,  and  we  shall 
get  some  proof  paper." 

"  I'll  go  with  you,"  McConnell  said,  pushing  his 
book  under  the  porch  seat. 

Little  Artie,  McConnell's  younger  brother,  came 
running  around  the  house.  "  Take  my  picture  taken," 
he  cried  to  Allan,  who  was  carrying  the  camera. 

"It's  funny,"  laughed  McConnell,  "but  Artie  al- 


McConnell  was  sitting  in  a  swing." 


An   Ill-kept  Secret.  61 

ways  gets  it  that  way.  He  has  heard  us  say  *  get  your 
picture  taken,'  and  he  always  says  '  take  my  picture 
taken,'  or  c  take  your  picture  taken.' ' 

Artie  repeated  his  request,  peering  into  the  finder  of 
Allan's  box.  .  "  All  right,"  said  Allan. 

"  Wait  a  minute,"  called  McConnell,  "  wait  till  I 
put  him  on  my  wheel."  Artie  was  lifted  up.  "  Now," 
said  McConnell. 

Artie  started  when  he  heard  the  click  of  the  shut 
ter.  "  Did  you  take  my  picture  taken  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,"  Allan  laughed,  "  I  took  your  picture 
taken." 

"  Then  let  me  see  it,"  demanded  Artie. 

"  Not  yet,  Artie,  —  to-morrow." 

Artie  then  went  back  to  a  box  of  sand  in  which  he 
had  been  playing. 

It  took  Allan  nearly  an  hour  to  complete  his 
purchases.  He  had  the  advantage  of  Owen's  advice, 
in  the  choice  of  trays,  for  instance.  Owen  had  tried 
lacquered  tin,  glass,  and  pressed  paper,  but  liked 
rubber  best.  These  cost  mor,e,  but  as  he  only  re 
quired  three,  two  to  be  used  in  developing  and  a 
larger  one,  capable  of  holding  four  plates,  for  "fixing," 
Allan  felt  that  he  could  afford  it,  —  especially  with  his 
share  of  the  fifty  dollars  to  come. 

Certainly  it  was  great  fun  to  buy  these  utensils,  and 
the  shining  glass  graduate,  —  Dr.  Hartel  had  promised 
Allan  a  second,  large,  graduate,  as  well  as  a  hydrometer 
and  some  stopper  bottles  ;  the  brass-hinged  printing 
frames,  the  "  hypo  "  and  developing  chemicals,  and 
the  dark-room  lamp. 

At  first  Allan  had  thought  of  building  a  dark-room 
light-box,  with  red  cover  glass,  in  which  an  ordinary 
small  lamp  could  be  placed  ;  but  in  view  of  the 


Captain  Kodak. 


"Artie  was  lifted  up." 

probable  usefulness  o£  the  portable  lamp  on  certain 
expeditions  which  he  had  in  mind,  he  decided  to  get 
an  ordinary  dark-room  lamp,  and  it  was  a  pretty  affair. 
Dr.  Hartel  had  urged  Allan  to  prepare  his  own 
developer,  at  least  until  he  had  learned  how  devel 
opers  were  made  up  and  what  properties  they  had. 

All  these  points  had  to  be  talked  over,  and  Mr. 
Wincher,  the  stationer,  who  was  an  amateur  photog 
rapher  himself,  and  had  on  that  account  come  to  sell 
photographic  supplies  as  a  department  in  his  store, 
was  patient  throughout  the  selection  and  offered 
plenty  of  advice  too. 

"  Photographers  are  great  fellows  for  giving  advice," 
laughed  the  stationer. 


An   Ill-kept  Secret.  63 

"  I'll  need  quite  a  supply  of  advice,  too,"  returned 
Allan. 

Owen  and  Mr.  Wincher  did  not  always  agree  as  to 
what  was  best  to  do.  When  they  agreed  on  any 
point  Allan  was  likely  to  accept  their  decision.  When 
they  did  not  agree,  Allan  made  the  best  use  he  could 
of  their  judgment.  The  truth  is  that  Allan  had  been 
reading  so  much  about  photography  lately  that  he  had 
made  up  his  mind  on  a  great  many  points.  Dr. 
Hartel  had  told  him  that  he  must  experiment  on  his 
own  account.  "  What  you  will  learn  from  these  ex 
periments,"  he  said,  "  may  be  worth  more  to  you  than 
the  pictures.  You  must  try  and  learn  something  from 
each  experiment.  This  is  the  only  way  you  will  ever 
really  know  a  thing.  We  act  on  the  best  advice  we 
can  get  to  begin  with ;  then  we  prove  to  ourselves 
that  what  has  been  said  is  true  or  not  true  —  or,  may 
be,  that  it  is  partly  true  and  partly  not  true.  An 
Englishman  once  said  that  he  would  like  photography 
better  if  it  weren't  for  the  pictures.  He  was  taking  a 
scientific  view  of  the  matter.  He  liked  the  chemical 
fun  better  than  the  picture  fun.  I  think  you  will  not 
like  the  picture  fun  any  the  less  for  taking  an  interest 
in  the  chemistry,  and  the  better  your  chemistry  the 
more  you  are  likely  to  find  to  enjoy  in  your  pictures. 
But  chemistry  will  give  you  many  disappointments. 
In  any  case,  you  will  have  disappointments  —  and  they 
will  do  you  good." 

As  the  boys  were  all  eager  to  see  proofs  of  the 
fire  negatives,  they  hurried  back  to  the  stable  with 
their  bundles,  McConnell  asking  leave  to  carry  the 
camera. 

"  There  is  one  thing  I  like  about  this  sort  of  print 
ing,"  said  Owen,  "  and  that  is  that  you  don't  have  to 


64  Captain  Kodak. 

have  ink.  I  always  get  mussed  up  so  with  my  ink 
press." 

"  But  when  you  get  the  thing  started,"  said  Mc- 
Connell,  "  you  can  print  quicker  on  the  printing 
press." 

"  I  believe  you  can  get  mussed  up  in  photography, 
if  you  want  to,"  suggested  Allan. 


V. 


THE    DARK-ROOM    MYSTERY. 


w 


"HEN  the  boys 
reached  the 
coach-house, 
the  plates  were  found  to 
be  quite  dry,  and  after 
unpacking  a  printing- 
frame  and  slipping  from 
the  stiff  paper  envel 
ope  a  sheet  of  printing 
paper,  the  first  of  the 
fire  negatives  was  soon 
in  the  sunlight  on  a 
front  window-sill. 

Allan  watched  the 
progress  of  the  print 
ing  with  excited  inter 
est,  opening  the  back 
of  the  frame  at  fre 
quent  intervals  for  a 
glimpse  of  the  slowly  deepening  image  on  the  paper. 

"  That  negative  wouldn't  take  long  to  print,"  Owen 
said,  "  if  I  hadn't  developed  it  so  long  trying  to  bring 
out  everything." 

The  negative  had  not  looked  much  like  a  picture  to 
Allan,  and,  indeed,  the  first  plate,  made  as  a  "  snap- 
F  65 


66  Captain   Kodak. 

shot,"  showed  the  strongest  lights  of  the  fire  scene 
and  very  little  else.  Yet  the  print  gave  a  meaning  to 
the  dark  parts  of  the  picture  which  were  blank  in  the 
plate. 

"  It  does  show  the  fire ;  doesn't  it  ? "  exclaimed 
Allan. 

"  Yes,"  said  Owen,  "  and  it  shows  that  it  began  on 
the  east  side  of  the  wing." 

The  second  plate  was  much  clearer. 

"  The  fire's  halfway  across  in  that,"  remarked 
McConnell. 

The  third  plate,  showing  the  fire  at  its  worst,  re 
vealed  even  the  outlines  of  the  factory.  The  flames 
were  not  so  sharply  defined  as  in  the  quick  exposure 
of  the  first  plate,  but  the  blur  made  by  the  yellow 
tongues  of  fire  was,  perhaps,  one  advantage,  and  in 
every  other  respect  the  "  time "  pictures,  as  Owen 
called  them,  were  much  the  better. 

Allan  unpacked  the  "  toning  solution,"  and  with 
Owen's  help  toned  and  fixed  the  three  prints.  Owen 
waited  until  the  prints  were  getting  their  last  rinsing. 
"  Now,"  he  said,  "  I  guess  you  are  pretty  well  started, 
Allan." 

"Yes,"  replied  Allan;  "and  I  don't  know  how  I 
ever  should  have  got  along  without  you,  Owen." 

"  Oh,"  laughed  Owen,  "  you  only  would  have  said 
mean  things  about  the  man  who  wrote  the  directions  ! 
But  you're  not  through  yet !  There  are  more  chances 
for  making  mistakes  in  photography  than  in  anything 
I  know  of." 

After  running  into  the  house  to  show  the  wet  prints 
(on  a  piece  of  blotting  paper)  to  his  mother  and  Edith, 
Allan  set  to  work  on  the  dark  room.  McConnell 
helped  for  most  of  the  day,  whistling  loudly  while  he 


The   Dark-room   Mystery.  67 

worked,  and  telling  Allan  a  story  he  had  read  about  a 
pirate  who  got  shipwrecked. 

Before  supper-time  the  dark  room  began  to  look 
like  a  real  photographer's  den.  With  an  arrangement 
which  he  had  made  for  the  window,  and  the  strips  of 
cloth  around  the  door,  Allan  could  have  the  room 
absolutely  dark  in  the  brightest  daylight.  There 
already  was  a  long  shelf  in  the  room,  and  an  old 
chest  of  drawers.  After  planning  a  place  for  every 
thing,  Allan  made  strong  resolutions  to  keep  every 
thing  in  the  places  he  had  chosen  for  them.  And  he 
felt  much  pleased  at  the  way  his  packages  and  bottles 
looked  when  spread  out  on  the  shelf.  He  scarcely 
could  wait  for  his  father  to  come  in  and  survey  the 
outfit. 

"  You  have  done  very  well,  Allan,"  said  the  Doctor, 
"but  you  must  keep  this  up;  especially,  you  must  keep 
everything  clean,  for  you  will  be  working  in  the  dark 
in  more  senses  than  one  if  your  bottles  and  graduates 
and  trays  are  not  clean.  Rinse  everything  after  using 
it,  and  before  putting  it  away.  When  your  plates  act 
queerly  you  want  to  know  where  the  trouble  is,  — 
whether  in  the  plates,  in  the  camera,  in  the  time,  or  in 
the  developer." 

Allan  said  he  meant  to  be  very  careful,  and  he  put 
some  of  his  plans  into  practice  when  he  developed  the 
picture  of  Artie  on  the  bicycle. 

"  I  tell  you,  McConnell,"  said  Allan,  as  his  com 
panion  was  going  home,  "  when  you  get  your  camera, 
we  can  use  this  dark  room  together." 

"  Well,"  said  McConnell,  pleased  at  being  made  a 
partner  in  so  interesting  an  institution  as  the  dark 
room,  "  then  I  think  I  ought  to  chip  in  some  trays 
and  things  for  myself;  don't  you  think  so,  Allan  ?  " 


68  Captain  Kodak. 

"  All  right !  "  laughed  Allan.  "  One  tray  and  a 
plate-lifter." 

It  was  that  evening,  a  little  afcer  nine  o'clock,  when 
Allan  and  Edith  were  studying  and  discussing  the  fire 
pictures,  that  the  factory  superintendent  came  to  the 
door.  Mrs.  Hartel  ushered  him  into  the  room. 

"  Are  the  plates  ready  ?  "  he  asked.  "  I  couldn't 
get  over  any  sooner." 

"  Yes,"  Allan  answered,  "  they're  ready.  We  were 
just  looking  at  the  prints." 

"  The  prints  ?  Oh,  yes  !  "  And  the  superintendent 
studied  the  pictures  with  great  interest.  "  Great !  " 
he  exclaimed,  his  bushy  head  bent  close  to  the  prints 
in  the  light  of  the  centre-table  lamp.  "  Wonderful ! 
They're  awfully  dark,  but  you  can  see  plainly  where 
the  fire  was,  and  how  it  worked  across.  Yes,  sir,  those 
pictures  may  be  useful.  I'll  have  the  check  sent  to 
you  to-morrow,  my  lad." 

"  I'll  go  out  and  get  the  plates,"  said  Allan. 

While  Allan  was  gone  the  superintendent  told  Edith 
and  Mrs.  Hartel  how  they  had  been  clearing  up  the 
mess  at  the  factory  during  the  day.  "  Of  course,"  he 
said,  "  we  have  to  leave  the  wing  alone  until  the  ap 
praiser  comes,  and  we  settle  the  row  with  the  insurance 
company.  The  naphtha  cans  weren't  near  the  fire; 
that  is,  they  were  on  the  other  side  of  the  partition 
when  it  started." 

"  Do  they  still  think  some  one  set  it  afire  ?  "  asked 
Edith. 

"  Well,  the  factory  folks  themselves  don't  think  so. 
We  think  it  started  in  the  packing  room,  in  some  rub 
bish.  Fires  often  start  that  way.  The  man  they  say 
did  it  — " 

The  superintendent  got  up  from  his  chair  when  he 


s 


"'Think  a  minute,'  said  the  superintendent." 


The  Dark-room  Mystery.  71 

saw  Allan  returning.  "  You've  got  the  plates  there, 
have  you  ?  " 

"  No,"  answered  Allan,  his  face  pale  and  perplexed. 
"  They're  gone  !  " 

"  Gone ! "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Hartel  and  Edith  to 
gether. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked  the  superintendent. 

"  I  left  them  standing  in  a  safe  place,"  said  Allan, 
"  and  they  are  not  there.  I  have  looked  everywhere." 

"  Great  Scott  !  "  ejaculated  the  superintendent. 
"  They  couldn't  be  stolen,  could  they  r  " 

"  Surely  not,"  said  Mrs.  Hartel.  "  Are  you  sure, 
Allan,  that  you  didn't  carry  them  in  here  ? " 

"  Think  a  minute,"  said  the  superintendent,  with  his 
hand  on  Allan's  shoulder.  "  Perhaps  you  put  them  in 
some  special  place.  I  often  do  that  —  and  then  forget 
where  the  place  is." 

"  I  know  I  left  them  there,"  Allan  persisted,  "  for 
I  looked  at  them  before  I  came  in  to-night.  I  had 
them  in  a  place  I  had  arranged  for  negatives." 

The  superintendent  sat  down  again.  "  Have  you 
told  anybody  about  this  thing  ?  —  I  forgot  to  tell  you 
not  to." 

Allan  declared  that  he  had  spoken  to  but  one  boy 
about  it,  and  he  enumerated  those  who  knew  about  it 
through  Owen  and  McConnell.  "  The  only  one  I 
spoke  to,"  said  Allan,  "  was  Cheney." 

"  Cheney  !  "  cried  the  superintendent.  "  Sam 
Cheney's  boy  ? " 

"  Yes,"  said  Allan,  mystified. 

The  superintendent  gave  a  peculiar  grunt.  "  Do 
you  know,"  he  demanded,  drawing  his  eyebrows 
together,  "  that  it  is  Sam  Cheney  who  has  been  sus 
pected  of  starting  the  fire  ?  " 


72  Captain  Kodak. 

Allan  looked  amazed  and  shook  his  head. 

"  You  don't  suppose  that  Cheney  boy  could  have 
stolen  them,  do  you  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Hartel. 

"  Why  not  ?  "   the  superintendent  demanded. 

Allan  was  staring  at  the  lamp.  "  I  believe  they 
are  stolen  !  "  he  cried.  "  I  remember  that  I  locked 
that  door  to-night  —  and  it  was  unlocked  when  I 
went  up  for  those  plates  just  now." 

Dr.  Hartel  appeared  at  this  moment,  and  the  super 
intendent  blurted  out,  "  Doctor,  I  guess  we've  got 
a  case  for  the  police  here." 

"  The  police  ?  "  The  Doctor  looked  his  astonish 
ment. 

"  It  looks  as  if  the  Cheney  boy  had  stolen  those 
plates." 

"Stolen  them?"  The  Doctor  listened  to  Allan's 
story,  and  questioned  him  closely.  "  It  does  look 
like  it,"  the  Doctor  admitted. 

"  I  guess  there's  no  doubt  of  it,"  the  superinten 
dent  went  on.  "  I  guess,  though,  that  we  had  better 
not  say  anything  about  it  just  now.  I'll  quietly  have 
Detective  Dobbs  put  on  the  case." 

"  I'm  very  sorry  this  has  happened,"  said  the 
Doctor,  much  annoyed. 

"Well,  so  am  I,"  added  the  superintendent,  "and 
I  don't  suppose,  Doctor,  that  you  are  willing  to  let 
the  thief  go." 

The  Doctor  shook  his  head.  "  I'm  not  willing  to 
let  the  plates  go." 

"  But  we  have  the  prints,"  interposed  Allan. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Doctor,  hopefully. 

"  I'll   go   over    and    see    the  chief   now,"    said   the 

O 

superintendent,    and    he   went    away    with    a    hurried 
"  Good  night !  " 


VI. 


DETECTIVE    DOBBS. 


ALLAN      looked 
dazed  when  the 
superintendent  had 
gone.    They  all  looked 
dazed. 

"  I  am  wonder 
ing,"  said  Dr.  Hartel, 
"  whether  Cheney  was 
sent  to  do  this  by 
his  father,  or  whether, 
knowing  that  his  father 
was  suspected,  he  did 
the  thing  on  his  own 
account." 

"  But  we  don't  know 
that  Cheney  did  it," 
said  Mrs.  Hartel. 

"  True,"    the    Doc 
tor  replied,   "  but  the 
chances  are  much  that 
way.   Allan,"  the  Doc 
tor  continued,  "we  had  better  go  out  and  look  over 
the  place  again." 

"  A  cat  might  have  knocked  them  down,"  suggested 
Mrs.  Hartel,  as  they  were  leaving. 

73 


74  Captain  Kodak. 

But  there  could  be  no  suspicion  of  a  cat.  There 
were  no  broken  fragments  anywhere.  The  only  nega 
tive  in  the  rack  was  that  of  Artie  on  the  wheel. 

"  And  you  found  the  door  unlocked  ?  "  asked  the 
Doctor. 

"  Yes,"  Allan  said  confidently.  "  At  first  I  didn't 
think  anything  of  it.  But  I  remember  distinctly  now 
that  I  locked  it,  and  I  remember  thinking  that  it  was 
foolish  to  bother  locking  it." 

The  Doctor  shook  his  head.  "It  is  too  bad.  I  am 
sorry  about  Cheney." 

Before  going  back  to  the  house  Dr.   Hartel   made 

O  O 

some  suggestions  as  to  the  keeping  of  the  chemicals, 
as  to  guarding  the  floor  from  drippings  of  the  hypo, 
as  to  pouring  from  the  bottles,  as  to  keeping  the  place 
free  from  dust,  and  so  on. 

Father  and  son  were  seated  talking  over  photographs 
and  the  fire  and  Cheney,  when  a  sharp  rap  sounded  on 
the  door  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs. 

"  Come  in  !  "  called  the  Doctor  from  the  top  step. 

A  lank  man  with  a  bristling  red  mustache  came  up 
the  steps. 

"  Is  this  Dr.  Hartel  ? "  asked  the  man. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  Doctor.  "I  do  seem  to  be 
wasting  a  good  deal  of  my  time  out  here  just  now." 

"The  chief  sent  me  over,"  said  the  man,  "to  see 
you  about  some  pictures  that  were  stolen."  As  he 
reached  the  top  step  the  man  looked  questioningly  at 
Allan. 

"  This  is  my  boy,"  Dr.  Hartel  said.  "  He  took 
the  pictures  —  I  mean  that  he  made  them,"  laughed 
the  Doctor.  "  You  are  Dobbs,  are  you  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  man.  "  I  wish  you  would  tell  me 
what  you  know  about  it." 


"Dr.  Hartel  made  some  suggestions." 


Detective  Dobbs.  77 

He  was  a  ruddy-faced  man.  His  mustache  stood 
out  like  the  hairs  of  a  brush,  and  he  had  a  little  red 
scar  over  his  right  eye.  When  he  smiled  Allan  liked 
him  at  once.  Allan  remembered  that  he  often  had 
seen  him  down  by  the  railroad  station. 

They  told  the  detective  all  they  knew  and  he 
listened  attentively.  Then  he  looked  about  the 
rooms,  and  seemed  much  interested  in  everything  he 
saw  in  the  dark  room.  He  held  up  to  the  light 
the  negative  of  Artie  on  the  bicycle,  and  laughed 
over  it. 

"  I  have  a  kid  about  that  size,"  he  said.  "  I  wish 
you'd  photograph  him  sometime." 

"  I  will,"  said  Allan. 

"  My  boy  Sporty,"  said  the  detective,  "  is  great. 
Why,  sir,"  said  Dobbs  to  the  Doctor,  "  that  kid  got 
a  hold  of  my  nippers  the  other  day  and  got  them  on 
the  necks  of  our  cat  and  the  cat  next  door.  You 
never  saw  such  a  thing  in  your  life.  Scott !  wasn't 
there  a  row  !  " 

At  the  thought  of  the  handcuffed  cats  —  that  is  to 
say,  the  neckcuffed  cats  —  the  Doctor  and  Allan  joined 
in  the  detective's  jolly  laugh. 

Presently  the  Doctor,  wishing  to  get  back  to  the 
question  of  the  plates,  ventured  to  ask  Dobbs  what 
he  thought  about  the  situation. 

"  Oh,"  said  Dobbs,  stooping  to  pick  up  a  burnt 
match  from  the  floor,  "  I  guess  Cheney  did  it ;  though 
his  father  didn't  have  anything  more  to  do  with  that 
fire  than  I  had.  Say,"  continued  Dobbs,  turning  to 
Allan,  "  how  do  you  light  your  lamps  here  ? "  The 
room  was  lighted  now  by  a  small,  ordinary  lamp  which 
Allan  had  borrowed  from  the  kitchen. 

"  Why,  with  a  match,"  replied  Allan. 


78  Captain   Kodak. 

"  Will  you  let  me  see  one  of  your  matches  ?  "  asked 
Dobbs. 

Allan  took  a  match  from  the  little  tin  safe  he  had 
tacked  up  beside  the  sink,  and  handed  it  to  Dobbs. 
As  he  did  so  he  noticed  for  the  first  time  that  Dobbs 
had  a  burnt  match  in  his  other  hand. 

"  Then  you  don't  throw  your  burnt  matches  on  the 
floor,"  said  Dobbs. 

"  No,"  said  Allan,  perplexed  at  the  statement,  "  I 
always  put  my  burnt  matches  in  here  ;  "  and  the  Doctor 
smiled  as  Allan  indicated  another  tin  box  on  the  corner 
of  the  shelf.  It  was  this  sort  of  care  of  which  he  had 
sought  to  teach  Allan  the  importance. 

"  I  believe  you,"  said  Dobbs,  "  for  this  isn't  your 
match."  Dobbs  was  holding  up  the  burnt  fragment 
he  had  picked  from  the  floor. 

The  Doctor  and  Allan,  coming  closer,  saw  that  the 
two  matches  certainly  did  not  have  the  same  sort  of 
stem. 

"  Then  that,"  said  the  Doctor,  pointing  to  the  partly 
burnt  match,  "  belonged  to  the  thief,  whoever  he  was." 

"  Looks  so,"  said  the  detective,  briefly,  studying  the 
matches,  or  seeming  to.  Then  "  Wait  a  moment,"  he 
said,  stepping  across  the  room,  and  he  picked  up  an 
other  fragment  of  a  match.  It  was  almost  completely 
burnt,  but  the  fragment  showed  that  it  had  been  of 
the  same  form  as  the  first  piece.  "  He  lighted  two 
matches,  you  see ;  this  one  burnt  out  on  him  before 
he  found  the  plates.  Then  he  struck  this  other  one." 

Allan's  eyes  stared.  He  never  should  have  thought 
of  these  things. 

"  Oh,  I  wish  you  had  been  around  to  get  a  picture 
of  those  cats  with  the  handcuffs  on,"  said  Dobbs,  as 
if  that  subject  was  much  more  interesting.  Then  he 


Detective   Dobbs.  79 

slipped  the  two  fragments  of  matches  into  his  vest 
pocket,  and  when  he  was  going  he  said :  "  I  don't  sup 
pose  we'll  get  down  to  the  fine  points  on  this  thing  — 
what  you  want  is  to  get  the  plates  back  if  they  haven't 
been  broken  or  thrown  into  the  river.  I'll  be  around 
again  in  the  morning." 

And  Dobbs  did  come  around  in  the  morning.  "You 
haven't  forgotten  about  Sporty,  have  you  ?  "  was  the 
first  thing  he  said  to  Allan.  He  seemed  to  have  for 
gotten  about  the  plates,  but  when  he  saw  Dr.  Hartel 
he  remarked  that  he  had  been  looking  into  the  busi 
ness. 

"  What  beats  me,  Doctor,"  he  said,  "  is  why  the 
Cheneys  should  steal  those  pictures.  If  the  factory 
people  were  right,  and  the  fire  did  start  on  the  east 
side  of  the  wing,  then  Cheney  couldn't  have  anything 
to  do  with  the  fire.  The  factory  people  don't  think  he 
did.  It's  the  fire  marshal  who's  raising  the  row.  So 
you  see  that  the  pictures  help  Cheney  as  much  as  they 
help  the  factory  people.  If  Cheney  has  stolen  or 
smashed  those  plates,  —  I  mean  the  father,  —  he  has 
removed  very  good  evidence,  as  I  understand  it,  that 
he  is  innocent.  I  tell  you  he  didn't  have  anything  to 
do  with  it.  He  was  sore  on  the  factory  management, 
but  he  wouldn't  be  such  a  fool.  That  fire  started  in 
the  east  of  the  wing,  nowhere  near  the  naphtha." 

"  Then  why  should  the  boy  have  taken  the  plates  ?  " 
demanded  the  Doctor. 

"  I  can't  see,"  replied  Dobbs,  "  unless  the  father  or 
the  boy,  or  both,  got  it  into  their  heads  that  these 
pictures  might  be  used  against  Cheney  in  some  way. 
It  was  a  crazy  notion." 

"  Have  you  any  further  clews  ? "  asked  the  Doctor. 

"  No,  I  can't  say  I   have.       But  I  threw  out  a  hint 


80  Captain  Kodak. 

in  the  Cheney  direction  that  may  do  some  good.  The 
old  man  is  over  at  Westwall,  but  I  saw  the  boy.  The 
little  rascal  actually  stumps  me.  I  can't  tell  whether 
he  did  it  or  not.  But  I  left  something  there  to  soak 
through  his  thick  young  skull.  It  may  work." 

Dobbs's  attention  again  turned  to  the  camera.  "  I 
was  saying,  Doctor,  that  I  wish  your  son  would  take  my 
boy,  Sporty."  A  happy  idea  seemed  to  strike  Dobbs. 
"  I  tell  you  what  I'll  do  !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  If  you'll 
make  a  picture  of  Sporty,  I'll  take  you  to  New  York 
with  me  to-day." 

"  I'd  like  to  go,"  Allan  admitted. 

"  I  don't  see  why  you  shouldn't,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"  Is  it  a  bargain  ?  "  asked  Dobbs. 

"  Yes,  it's  a  bargain,"  laughed  Allan. 

"  You  see,"  said  Dobbs,  as  they  walked  down 
toward  his  house  a  little  later,  "  I've  got  to  go  down  to 
New  York  anyhow,  and  you  might  as  well  run  around 
with  me.  I  dare  say  you'd  like  to  see  police  head 
quarters,  and  some  other  places,  anyway.  There  are 
lots  of  things  to  photograph  down  there." 

Dobbs  lived  in  a  little  wooden  cottage  near  the  bank 
of  the  Hudson.  It  was  painted  a  bright  blue.  Allan 
thought  there  was  something  peculiar  about  the  house, 
and  he  became  fixed  in  this  opinion  after  seeing  more 
of  it.  There  was  a  stretch  of  tree-grown  ground  back 
of  the  house.  In  the  front  garden  three  stalks  of 
corn  and  four  sunflowers  were  ripening.  In  the  hall 
way  was  a  big  iron  dog,  painted  blue  like  the  outside 
of  the  house  —  with  some  of  the  left-over  paint,  Allan 
guessed.  In  the  back  parlor  were  five  canaries  in 
cages,  all  singing  in  a  great  clatter  of  high  notes  ;  and 
a  small,  but  very  hoarse-voiced  red  and  green  parrot 
in  the  corner  shouted, "  Hello  Central !  "  when  he  saw 


Detective  Dobbs. 


Dobbs  and  Allan.      Mrs.   Dobbs,  a  fat  little  woman, 
sat  sewing  at  a  window,  with  a  white  cat  in  her  lap. 

"  Where's  Sporty  ?  "  asked  Dobbs. 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  Mrs.  Dobbs.  "  He 
bothered  me  to  let  him  paddle,  so  I  put  on  his  trunks 
and  turned  him  loose." 

"  Probably  he's  drowned  then,"  said  Dobbs. 

But  Mrs.  Dobbs  only  laughed  softly,  and  went  on 
with  her  sewing. 

Allan  and  the  detective  found  Sporty  down  at  a 
little  inlet  of  the  river  near  the  house.  He  wore  red- 
striped  bathing  trunks,  and 
was  sailing  a  boat,  which 
he  pushed  into  her  proper 
course  with  a  long  stick. 

"  Say,  Pop,"  Sporty 
called  out,  when  he  saw  his 
father,  "  I  wish  you'd  buy 
me  a  steamboat."  Then 
Sporty  noticed  Allan  and 
the  camera,  and  looked  curi 
ously  at  the  black  box. 

"  Sporty,"  said  Dobbs, 
"  you're  going  to  have  your 
picture  taken." 

"  Am  I  ?  "  Sporty  peered 
again  at  Allan.  "  Must  I  put 
on  my  Sunday  clothes  ?  " 

"  No,  Sporty,"  said  the 
detective,  "  no  clothes  will 
do.  You're  just  right." 

"  You  mean  this  way  ?  "   Sporty  asked. 

"  Bathing  tights  are  very  becoming  to  your  style 
of  beauty,  Sporty,"  the  detective  went  on  with  his 


Must  I  put  on  my  Sunday 
clothes?'  " 


82  Captain  Kodak. 

pleasant  grin.  "  Come  over  here,"  and  Sporty's 
shining  legs  timidly  carried  him  to  where  his  father 
waited.  "  I  want  you  with  your  arms  folded,  Sporty 
—  you  know,"  and  Dobbs  struck  an  attitude  to  show 
what  he  meant.  "  There !  that's  it !  "  cried  the  de 
tective,  when  Sporty  had  folded  his  arms.  "  Now, 
don't  look  so  savage.  I  want  you  to  look  as  inno 
cent  as  if  the  judge  was  asking  you  if  you  had  ever 
been  convicted  before." 

Allan  adjusted  the  camera  and  pressed  the  trigger. 

"Is  it  took  yet  ?  "  asked  Sporty. 

"  Yes,"  said  Allan. 

"  That  was  great !  "  exclaimed  Dobbs.  But  Allan 
thought  Sporty  had  not  looked  very  happy.  "  We'll 
have  to  take  him  again  some  time  when  he's  in  the 
humor,"  Allan  suggested,  "  or  when  he  isn't  looking." 

"That's  so,"  Dobbs  said;  "good  idea  —  when  he 
doesn't  know  it."  He  looked  after  Sporty  as  the  boy 
went  back  to  his  boat,  which  had  drifted  far  out  of 
her  course.  "  I  tell  you,  he's  one  of  the  greatest  boys 
you  ever  saw.  He's  simply  wonderful.  You  ought 
to  see  him  do  the  cart-wheel.  When  can  I  see  that 
picture  ? " 

"  Probably  I'll  develop  it  to-night  and  you  can  see 
a  proof  to-morrow." 

"  Good  !     Are  you  ready  to  go  to  New  York  ?  " 

"  Could  you  wait  until  I  changed  this  plate  ?  I  want 
to  take  the  full  plate-holders  with  me." 

"  Sure,"  returned  Dobbs ;  "  why  not  take  a  lot 
more.  You  could  change  them  somewhere  —  I  can 
fix  that." 

Acting  on  this  suggestion  Allan  carried  in  the 
pocket  of  his  jacket  an  extra  package  of  plates  when 
he  met  Dobbs  at  the  station  fifteen  minutes  later. 


Detective  Dobbs.  83 

"  Got  all  your  ammunition  ? "  Dobbs  asked. 
"  There's  big  game  in  New  York ;  you  want  to  be 
loaded  for  bear." 

Allan  had  not  been  to  New  York  for  several 
months,  and  now  that  he  had  his  camera  with  him 
the  prospect  of  so  many  interesting  subjects  for 
pictures  filled  him  with  a  pleasant  excitement.  It  was 
a  bright  day,  and  as  he  looked  out  across  the  glisten 
ing  Hudson  he  made  up  his  mind  to  "do"  the  Pali 
sades  sometime.  He  remembered  a  cat-boat  cruise 
he  had  taken  with  the  McConnell  boys,  how  they 
almost  had  been  wrecked  near  Fort  Lee.  Yes,  he 
thought  a  cat-boat  and  a  camera  would  make  a  good 
combination.  He  already  found  himself  planning 
certain  pictures  at  the  base  of  the  cliffs  and  from  the 
crags  overhead. 

There  were  many  scenes  along  the  Harlem  that 
attracted  Allan  —  the  long  arch  of  Washington 


"  The  long  arch  of  Washington  Bridge." 


84  Captain   Kodak. 

Bridge,  the  varied  craft  of  the  river,  the  loops  of  the 
elevated  roads  ;  and  when  they  were  in  Manhattan, 
there  were  funny  little  remnants  of  the  squatter  settle 
ment  that  seemed  made  —  or  at  least  left  —  to  be 
photographed. 

"  Now,  you  understand,"  said  Dobbs,  "  that  I'm 
in  no  hurry.  You  can  go  anywhere  you  want  to  and 
I'll  trot  around  with  you.  I  want  to  see  how  you  do 
it  —  I'm  going  to  get  one  of  those  things  myself  one 
of  these  days." 

"  You  can't  learn  much  from  the  way  /  do  it,"  said 
Allan.  "  I'm  only  a  beginner." 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  pursued  Dobbs,  "  that  we  might 
do  a  little  of  the  Bowery  and  around  the  Pell  Street 
way  —  in  the  Chinese  quarter  and  so  on.  Oh,  I 
suppose  you  could  put  in  a  week  here  —  slumming 
with  a  camera,  how  would  that  go  ?  —  unless  you 
don't  like  slums.  First,  I've  got  to  run  in  and  see 
one  of  the  Central  Office  men  at  headquarters." 

And  so  they  went  over  to  Mulberry  from  the  "  L  " 
road,  and  Allan  was  so  much  interested  in  being  at 
police  headquarters  that  he  thought  no  more  about 
the  camera  until  Dobbs  was  ready  to  go. 

"  Suppose  we  go  and  look  at  the  Rogue's  Gallery," 
suggested  Dobbs,  and  he  led  the  way  into  one  of  the 
rooms  opening  off  the  main  hall.  "  There's  a  collec 
tion  of  photographs  for  you !  "  exclaimed  Dobbs, 
turning  .the  doors  of  a  curious  cabinet  like  a  vast 
wooden  book. 

Allan  stared  in  amazement  at  the  countless  faces 
that  stared  out  of  this  curious  collection.  Some 
thing  in  the  style  of  these  faces  made  Allan  feel  sad. 
Yet  the  faces  were  not  all  evil-looking  faces  by  any 
means.  Perhaps  it  was  because  they  were  not  that 


Detective  Dobbs.  85 

Allan  felt  awkward  and  grieved  as  he  looked  at  them. 
There  were  handsome  faces  of  both  men  and  women, 
some  of  them  very  young  —  mere  boys  and  girls, 
sometimes  —  and  the  well-dressed  and  the  ragged 
were  shoulder  to  shoulder.  One  face,  that  of  a 
boy  who  appeared  to  be  of  about  Allan's  age,  held 
Allan's  attention  until  Dobbs  asked  if  he  knew  the 
face. 

"  No,"  said  Allan.  He  had  been  thinking  how 
clear-eyed  and  manly  the  boy  looked.  He  wondered 
what  trouble  the  boy  had  fallen  into,  and  if  the  boy's 
mother  thought  he  was  guilty. 

"  Well,"  said  Allan,  a  lump  in  his  throat,  "  I  don't 
believe  they  are  all  rogues.  I  believe  there  were  some 
mistakes  —  that  some  of  them  were  innocent." 

"  Maybe,"  said  Dobbs.  "  Maybe  there  are  fel 
lows  there  who  don't  belong  there.  And  there  are 
a  great  many  folks  who  belong  there  who  are  not 
there." 

Allan  said  nothing  more  while  they  were  going 
downstairs  again.  They  walked  back  to  the  Bowery 
and  turned  to  the  south.  One  of  the  first  things  that 
Allan  saw  struck  him  so  oddly  that  he  adjusted  the 
focus  of  his  camera  to  fifteen  feet,  and  turning  about 
made  a  quick  shot,  Dobbs  watching  attentively. 

The  subject  of  Allan's  picture  was  a  boy  of  twelve 
or  thirteen  perched  in  a  high  boot-black's  chair  with  a 
grimy  little  Italian  "shiner"  polishing  his  shoes. 

"  Shine  ?  "  called  the  Italian  boy  over  his  shoulder, 
when  he  saw  that  some  one  had  stopped ;  then  went 
on  with  his  work. 

"  Young  America  and  young  Italy,"  laughed  the 
detective,  as  they  walked  down  the  Bowery.  When 
they  came  to  one  of  the  numerous  dime  museums  of 


86 


Captain   Kodak. 


"'Young  America  and  Young  Italy.'" 


there  you  are  !  "  and  Allan  read :  — 


the  street,  Dobbs  halt 
ed  and  they  read  over 
the  glaring  announce 
ments  that  plastered 
the  front  of  the  build 
ing. 

"  You  haven't  a  big 
enough  plate  to  take 
the  fat  lady,"  chuckled 
Dobbs,  "  but  I  don't 
see  but  that  you  might 
take  a  shy  at  the  ossi 
fied  girl.  Ha,  ha  !  " 
the  detective  laughed 
loudly,  as  he  pointed 
to  a  huge  picture 
spreading  across  the 
front  of  the  building; 


GREAT  PIE  EATING  CONTEST 

BY 

ELEVEN  LOVELY  LADIES  !  ! 


"  Couldn't  we  get  them  to  let  us  take  that  ?  "  asked 
Dobbs,  "  when  they  were  half  through,  you  know  !  " 

Allan  joined  in  the  detective's  laugh,  until  the  man 
in  the  little  window  to  the  right  of  the  entrance  looked 
over  at  them  with  a  scowl. 


Detective   Dobbs. 


Dobbs  appeared  to  be  greatly  taken  with  the  idea, 
and  for  a  few  moments  Allan  feared  that  he  might 

O 

suggest  carrying  it  out.  But  presently  they  left  the 
region  of  the  museums,  and  Allan  changed  the  subject 
by  catching  a  group  at  the  drinking  tap  in  front  of 
the  Young  Men's  Institute.  Then  the  detective  and 
Allan  came  to  the  shooting-galleries  where  wooden 
deer  and  green  lions  were 
ceaselessly  jumping,  and 
silvery  balls  were  rising 
and  falling  on  jets  of  water 
until  shattered  by  some 
successful  marksman. 

"Here's  a  chance,"  said 
Dobbs,  "  to  get  some  of 
those  queer  things  in  ani 
mal  locomotion.  The  great 
advantage  here,  though, 
would  be  that  no  matter 
when  you  caught  the  deer 
and  lions,  their  legs  would 
always  look  perfectly  nat 
ural.  That  would  be  a 
big  advantage.  I  don't 
like  these  snap  pictures 
that  show  the  horses  standing  on  one  foot  with  their 
hind  legs  twisted." 

Below  Grand  street,  in  front  of  a  clothing  store, 
they  found  five  men  standing  at  the  curb,  each  sup 
porting  a  huge  wooden  letter.  When  Allan  stepped 
into  the  street  to  read  the  letters  from  the  front,  he 
found  that  they  spelled  "  P-A-N-T-S."  A  «  Great 
Pants  Sale  "  was  in  progress  here.  Other  sales  were 
in  progress  at  every  step  of  their  walk. 


;  The  drinking  tap." 


Captain   Kodak. 


"A  Great  Pants  Sale." 

"  Isn't  it  almost  time  to  eat  ?  "  asked  Dobbs.  "  I 
know  a  joint  here  where  you  can  get  the  best  steak  in 
New  York." 

The  "joint"  was  across  the  street,  and  Dobbs  sa 
luted  the  proprietor  cheerily  as  they  walked  in.  Allan 
was  too  much  stirred  up  by  the  sights  and  sounds  out 
of  doors  and  the  whirr  and  clatter  of  this  "  quick 
lunch  "  indoors  to  eat  much.  When  they  had  finished 
Allan  wished  to  share  the  bill. 

"  But  there  isn't  any  bill,"  said  Dobbs ;  which 
seemed  to  be  true,  for,  as  they  passed  out,  Dobbs 
merely  nodded  again  to  the  proprietor.  "  I  once  did 
that  fellow  a  great  big  favor,"  said  Dobbs,  "  and  so  my 
money  wouldn't  go  in  there  —  nor  yours  either  if  you 
were  with  me." 

"  Suppose   you  lived  near   by,"   said   Allan,   "  and 


Detective   Dobbs.  89 

took  all  your  meals  there,  do  you  think  he  would  keep 
on  being  willing  ?  " 

Dobbs  laughed.  "  Well,  I  think  I  could  keep  it 
up  quite  a  long  time,  if  I  wanted  to." 

Presently  they  came  to  Chatham  Square,  and  Dobbs, 
pointing  over  to  the  west,  said,  "  Here's  Chinatown." 

Dobbs  knew  all  the  queer  places,  the  joss  houses, 
and  theatres,  and  restaurants,  and  he  pointed  these  out 
or  indicated  them  with  a  jerk  of  his  head. 

"  They  are  suspicious  here,"  said  Dobbs,  "  and  when 
you  want  to  take  anything  I'll  turn  and  talk  to  you  so 
that  you  can  shoot  past  me."  It  was  in  this  way  that 
Allan  caught  a  group  of  men  in  front  of  one  of  the 
queer  places.  Hundreds  of  Chinamen  were  passing 
up  and  down  the  street,  hundreds  more  could  be  seen 
in  the  tea-shops  and  at  the  windows  of  the  restaurants. 


90  Captain  Kodak. 

Suddenly  Dobbs  turned  away  with  an  exclamation 
which  Allan  did  not  understand,  and,  looking  about, 
the  boy  saw  the  detective  run  into  an  alley. 

Allan,  much  perplexed,  walked  to  the  mouth  of  the 
alley  and  peered  into  its  dingy  depths.  But  there  was 
no  sign  of  Dobbs.  He  had  utterly  disappeared. 


VII. 


IN    NEW   YORK. 


ALLAN  could  scarce 
ly  believe  his  eyes. 
The  detective  cer 
tainly  ran  into  the  alley, 
and  there  seemed  to  be  no 
escape  from  the  alley  save 
by  the  flight  of  wooden 
steps  running  up  the  side 
of  the  building  on  the  left. 
These  steps  were  in  full 
view  to  the  top,  and  it 
certainly  was  impossible 
that  Dobbs  should  have 
mounted  these  in  the  brief 
moments  that  had  elapsed 
before  Allan  reached  the 
point  from  which  he  could 
see  them. 

For  several  minutes  Allan  stood  there  in  perplexity. 
Then  he  walked  as  far  as  the  corner  and  back  again  to 
the  alley.  Still  no  sign  of  Dobbs.  A  Chinaman  in 
a  tea-shop  came  to  the  door  and  stared  at  Allan. 
Other  Chinamen  across  the  way  seemed  to  be  won 
dering  what  he  wanted  there.  Two  barefooted  Italian 
boys  stopped,  and  very  deliberately  examined  the  cam 
era  and  Allan. 

91 


92  Captain   Kodak. 

Allan  again  walked  to  the  corner,  and  as  he  turned 
he  saw  a  little  ragged  boy  enter  the  alley,  and  he  lost 
no  time  in  retracing  his  steps.  But  when  he  reached 
the  alley  the  boy  was  not  to  be  seen.  He,  too,  had 
melted  away. 

Allan  then  determined  to  settle  this  mystery  if  he 
did  nothing  else,  and  to  wait  there  until  another  figure 
attempted  to  elude  him.  "  I'll  follow  them,"  he  said 
to  himself. 

The  Chinaman  in  the  tea-shop  saw  Allan  take  his 
stand  at  the  curb  opposite  the  alley.  For  five  minutes 
or  more  he  stood  there  watching  the  life  of  the  street, 
peering  at  the  strange  signs  and  banners  and  balconies. 
He  looked  toward  Chatham  Square,  from  which  came 
the  clatter  of  the  elevated  trains  and  the  roar  of  street 
traffic.  Occasionally  he  turned  to  the  alley  as  if  expect 
ing  to  see  Dobbs  reappear  from  its  shadowy  depths. 

Once,  when  his  eyes  turned  to  the  alley,  he  saw  a 
man  with  a  red  shirt  shambling  toward  him,  a  lame 
man  who  leaned  against  the  sides  of  the  alley  to  sup 
port  himself.  But  it  was  impossible  to  see  where  he 
had  come  from.  The  mystery  was  as  deep  as  ever  — 
as  deep  as  the  alley. 

Presently  a  woman  who  passed  him  with  a  bundle 
of  clothes  entered  the  alley  with  a  rolling  step,  and 
Allan  instantly  followed  her,  to  the  evident  perplexity 
of  the  Chinaman  in  the  tea-shop.  He  followed  so 
closely  at  the  woman's  heels  in  his  determination  not 
to  let  her  melt  out  of  his  sight,  that  the  woman 
glanced  back  at  him  over  her  shoulder  in  suspicious 
inquiry. 

Then  Allan  discovered  what  many  another  dis 
covered  long  ago,  for  when  the  woman  reached  what 

O         O      ' 

had  appeared  to  be  the  end  of  the  alley,  she  turned  to 


In  New  York.  93 

the  right,  and  the  boy,  following,  found  himself  in 
another  alley  running  at  right  angles  to  the  first. 

It  seemed  very  absurd  that  he  had  not  thought  of 
this  before.  Several  doors  opened  into  this  second 
alley,  and  through  one  of  these  the  woman  passed 
with  her  bundle. 

Allan  went  straight  ahead  into  the  cross  street  upon 
which  the  alley  opened.  If  Dobbs  had  been  playing 
a  trick  upon  him,  it  might  be  that  he  was  waiting  here 
somewhere.  But  there  was  no  sign  of  the  detective. 

Whether  it  was  a  joke  or  not,  Allan  made  up  his 
mind  not  to  worry  any  more  over  finding  Dobbs. 
Possibly  the  detective  might  come  back  to  the  place 
from  which  he  had  disappeared.  Perhaps  he  was  in 
one  of  these  houses.  But  there  was  no  way  of  telling 
where  he  was,  or  when  he  would  come  if  he  did  come. 
Allan  had  been  in  New  York  before.  He  knew  his 
way  to  the  Grand  Central  Station.  That  did  not 
trouble  him.  Yet  he  was  disappointed  in  losing  so 
good  a  guide  as  Dobbs. 

However,  there  were  still  two  hours  of  picture- 
making  daylight  left,  and  he  determined  to  use  these 
as  best  he  might  on  his  own  account.  They  had  not 
lingered  in  Chatham  Square,  and  Allan  walked  again 
in  that  direction,  and  down  into  Chatham  Street  to 
Newspaper  Row  and  the  City  Hall.  On  his  way  he 
came  across  a  pretzel  man  with  a  store  of  salty  pret 
zels  strung  on  a  stick. 

In  City  Hall  Park  Allan  found  a  group  that  excited 
his  interest.  The  group  of  men  and  boys  were  in  a 
circle,  and  made  up  such  a  good  picture  that  Allan 
sighted  his  camera  at  a  distance  of  twenty  feet  and 
pressed  the  trigger.  Then  he  went  forward  to  satisfy 
his  curiosity. 


94 


Captain   Kodak. 


"The  group  of  men  and  boys  in  a  circle." 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  Allan  asked  of  a  man  who 
was  turning  away. 

"  Craps,"  answered  the  man,  grinning. 

Pressing  forward  into  the  group,  Allan  heard  the 
click  of  pennies  and  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  boy's 
grimy  hand  tossing  some  dice  on  the  stones.  When 
some  one  uttered  a  peculiar  exclamation,  the  owner  of 
the  grimy  hand  and  half  a  dozen  other  boys  darted 
out  of  the  centre  of  the  crowd,  and  fled  in  great  haste, 
leaving  on  the  stones  one  of  the  dice,  which  an  on 
looker  picked  up.  Then  Allan  understood  that  the 
boys  had  been  gambling  and  that  some  one  had 
sighted  a  policeman  ;  a  fact  which  gave  him  food  for 


In  New  York.  95 

thought  as  he  crossed  the  square  again  and  walked  up 
Centre  Street.  He  had  determined  to  move  again  in 
the  direction  of  the  Grand  Central. 

While  he  was  thinking  of  the  boys  and  the  police 
man  and  how  much  of  life  in  this  part  of  New  York 
seemed  to  be  made  up  of  a  battle  between  the  two,  he 
caught  sight  of  the  Tombs  prison,  which  had  been 
half  torn  down  and  patched  up  again  since  he  saw  it 
once  before. 

It  was  while  he  was  picturing  the  Tombs  from  the 
corner  of  Franklin  Street  that  a  boy  who  had  watched 
everything  he  did  from  the  moment  he  stopped  there, 
tapped  him  on  the  sleeve,  and  said,  "  Say,  d'yer  want 
a  good  picture  ?  "  The  boy  tossed  his  head  in  the 
direction  of  Baxter  Street  with  a  wink  so  jolly  that 
Allan  concluded  that  the  suggested  subject  must  be 
amusing  at  least,  but  he  followed  the  boy  for  the 
space  of  half  a  block,  when  the  boy,  who  had  been 
trotting  ahead,  halted  with  a  laugh  before  the  steps  of 
a  dirty,  empty-looking  house. 

On  the  steps  was  what  appeared  from  a  little  dis 
tance  like  a  bundle  of  soiled  rags;  but  when  Allan 
drew  near  he  saw  that  there  was  a  living  creature  in 
the  rags,  —  an  old  woman  lying  as  if  she  had  fallen 
there,  a  rumpled  black  bonnet  in  her  lap,  her  head 
resting  against  the  rail,  and  her  yellow,  wrinkled  face 
upturned  to  the  sun. 

The  boy  giggled  as  if  he  thought  it  all  a  vast  joke ; 
but  Allan  shuddered  and  looked  about  as  if  in  wonder 
that  no  one  had  come  to  help  the  woman  ;  and  when 
he  saw  a  fat  policeman  strolling  toward  him  he  hur 
ried  forward  to  say  :  "  Officer,  here's  a  sick  woman. 
Shouldn't  some  one  get  her  out  of  the  sun  ?  She  may 
be  dying." 


96  Captain  Kodak. 

The  policeman  looked  at  Allan  with  an  expression 
which  Allan  did  not  understand.  For  a  moment  the 
policeman  looked  at  the  woman ;  then  he  spat  into  the 
street,  and  said,  "  I  don't  think  she's  dyin'  yet,"  smiled 
at  Allan,  and  continued  his  walk. 

Allan's  face  grew  hot,  and  he  wanted  to  shout, 
"  You're  a  brute  !  "  after  the  policeman,  when  a  girl 
came  out  of  the  doorway  of  the  house  where  the 
woman  lay,  and  seeing  the  object  on  the  steps,  came 
forward  and  began  shaking  the  woman  as  if  to  arouse 
her.  The  girl  had  a  sad  face.  Allan  thought  she 
looked  as  if  she  had  cried  very  often. 

The  woman  opened  her  eyes  finally,  and  Allan, 
placing  his  camera  on  the  steps,  helped  the  woman  to 
rise,  and  by  the  aid  of  Allan  and  the  girl  the  woman 
tottered  up  the  steps  and  through  the  doorway. 

"  We  live  upstairs,"  said  the  sad-faced  girl,  quietly. 
Allan  knew  that  this  was  a  request  to  help  a  little 
longer.  It  was  hard  work  on  the  stairs,  for  the  steps 
were  steep  and  narrow,  and  the  old  woman  trembled 
violently. 

When  they  had  reached  the  top,  the  girl,  with  a 
grateful  look,  said,  "  I'm  much  obliged."  The  old 
woman  did  not  speak.  As  he  came  downstairs  an 
ugly  girl  with  a  baby  in  her  arms  said  to  Allan,  "  Mrs. 
Grimmins  is  drinkin'  very  hard  again." 

Allan  went  out  without  a  word.  He  was  so  much 
upset  that  he  did  not  notice  at  first  that  his  camera 
had  gone.  Almost  at  the  moment  when  he  did  dis 
cover  his  loss,  he  saw  the  camera  in  the  hands  of  a 
boy  who  was  scudding  around  the  corner. 

Allan  was  the  best  runner  in  the  Hazenfield  high 
school  nine,  and  a  hundred  feet  beyond  the  corner  he 
came  upon  a  group  of  boys  who  had  the  camera  be- 


"  He  caught  sight  of  the  Tombs  prison. 


In  New  York.  99 

tween  them,  and  who  in  another  moment  would  have 
been  out  of  sight  in  one  of  the  alleys. 

"  I'll  take  that,"  said  Allan  to  a  big,  rough  fellow 
who  had  his  fingers  on  the  carrying  strap. 

"  Who  said  so  ?  "  was  the  response. 

Allan  caught  hold  of  the  camera,  but  the  big  fellow 
held  fast,  and  gave  Allan  a  violent  push  with  his  left 
hand.  A  little  crowd  sprang  up  around  Allan  instantly, 
and  several  of  the  boys  began  to  jostle  him  and  to 
pull  at  his  coat. 

Allan  knew  that  in  trouble  of  this  sort  it  was  neces 
sary  to  get  rid  of  the  biggest  enemy  first,  and,  still 
holding  the  camera  with  his  left  hand,  he  struck  his 
biggest  enemy  squarely  in  the  face.  As  the  other  fell 
sprawling  over  the  sill  of  a  grocer's  shop,  Allan  wrested 
the  camera  free,  and,  turning  about,  he  struck  quickly 
at  two  of  his  other  assailants,  clearing  a  space  about 
him. 

It  was  a  very  uneven  affair,  for  Allan  was  hampered 
by  the  camera.  Each  of  the  others  had  two  hands  to 
his  one.  But  Allan  fought  furiously,  and  might  have 
made  a  very  good  defence  with  his  single  hand  had  not 
his  big  enemy,  regaining  his  feet,  approached  Allan 
from  behind,  and,  throwing  his  arms  about  him,  flung 
him  to  the  walk. 

"  Soak  him,  Pete  !  "  yelled  several  of  the  boys,  gath 
ering  for  a  chance  to  use  their  feet. 

O 

Pete  was  powerful,  but  in  agility  he  was  no  match 
for  Allan.  In  a  moment  Allan  had  Pete  under  him  ; 
but  he  had  lost  hold  of  the  camera. 

One  of  the  boys,  with  a  shout,  grasped  the  black 
box  and  started  to  run.  He  did  run  —  plump  into  the 
hands  of  a  policeman. 

"  The  cop  !  " 


TOO  Captain  Kodak. 

The  crowd  melted  in  a  second's  time.  Only  Allan, 
Pete,  and  the  boy  who  had  the  camera,  remained  to 
give  an  account  of  the  affair. 

For  a  moment  Allan  thought  it  was  the  same  police 
man  he  had  seen  on  the  other  street.  But  it  was  not. 
This  new  policeman  held  fast  to  the  boy  who  had  the 
camera,  and  who  seemed  to  be  wishing  that  he  didn't 
have  it. 

"  They  have  been  trying  to  steal  my  camera  !  "  cried 
Allan,  adjusting  his  crushed  hat. 

"  He  lies  !  "   roared  Pete. 

"  Well,"  said  the  policeman,  lazily,  and  as  if  there 
was  nothing  exciting  about  the  incident,  "  I'll  take  you 
all  in  till  we  talk  it  over,  hey  ?  " 

The  boy  with  the  camera  began  to  whimper.  "  I 
was  only  takin'  care  of  it !  "  he  cried. 

"  I  never  touched  it !  "  protested  Pete.  "  He  stole 
it  hisself !  " 

"  Let's  take  a  walk,"  said  the  policeman,  holding 
the  small  boy  and  Pete  each  by  the  collar.  "  You  walk 
ahead,"  he  said  to  Allan. 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  are  going  to  arrest  me?  " 
demanded  Allan. 

"  I  mean  that  you're  goin'  to  walk,"  returned  the 
policeman,  using  Pete  to  push  Allan  forward ;  and 
the  policeman  with  his  three  prisoners  moved  toward 
Elizabeth  Street. 


VIII. 


TWO    ARRESTS. 


ALLAN,    angry    and 
chagrined,  did  as  he 
was    told    and    led 
the   line ;   and   very   soon 
a  crowd  began   to   gather 
again.      Even  some  of  the 
boys  who  had  most  wisely 
taken  to  their  heels,  see 
ing  that  the  policeman  had 
his    hands    full,    ventured 
again  into  close  quarters, 
and  made  audible  remarks 
to  Pete  and  his  companion. 
They  scarcely  had  gone 
a   block   when   at   least   a 
hundred  ragged  boys  and 
,  girls  of  the  quarter  were 

following  behind  or  running  ahead  to  shout  the  news 
into  the  alleys.  Recruits  came  running  from  Mulberry 
Square.  A  man  with  a  push  cart  drew  near  to  the 
curb  and  kept  abreast  of  the  procession.  It  seemed 
to  Allan  that  at  least  a  thousand  women  were  craning 
their  necks  out  of  windows  or  crowding  eagerly  in 
doorways.  His  face  reddened,  and  he  did  not  know 
where  to  look.  He  certainly  felt  very  angry  and  re- 


101 


102  Captain   Kodak. 

sentful,  and  yet,  when  people  peered  at  him,  he  won 
dered  whether  they  did  not  think  he  looked  guilty  of 
something. 

"What  did  they  do?" 

"  They  were  caught  lifting." 

"  Three  of  them." 

"They  tapped  a  till." 

"  They  got  the  whole  gang." 

"  There  was  a  fight." 

These  and  a  hundred  other  comments  and  inquiries 
came  to  Allan  as  he  threaded  the  crowded  sidewalk  ; 
the  shuffle  of  the  policeman,  with  Pete  and  his  com 
panion  behind,  and  a  clatter  and  patter  of  a  multitude 
of  feet  everywhere. 

Allan  was  wondering  whether  they  were  going  to  a 
patrol  box  or  directly  to  some  station,  and  they  were 
within  a  short  distance  of  a  cross  street,  when  there 
were  signs  of  a  new  and  separate  commotion  ahead. 
Heads  in  the  windows  began  to  turn  the  other  way, 
and  the  advance  guard  of  the  procession  in  which 
Allan  had  been  moving  had  darted  further  ahead,  and 
was  mingling  at  the  corner  with  another  crowd  that 
surged  toward  the  same  cross  street. 

Then  it  became  plain  that  there  had  been  another 
arrest  somewhere.  Allan  could  see  the  helmet  of  a 
policeman,  the  face  of  a  man  without  his  hat ;  and  as 
they  swung  around  the  corner,  the  two  processions 
almost  at  the  same  moment,  Allan  saw  another  face 
that  looked  familiar. 

Yes,  it  was  Dobbs,  —  Dobbs  holding  one  arm  of 
the  man  without  a  hat, —  Dobbs,  rather  flushed,  Allan 
thought,  as  if  he  had  been  running,  or  was  excited. 

O         y  O-* 

Dobbs  looked  across  at  the  other  crowd  and  saw 
Allan,  for  he  laughed  and  waved  his  hand,  and  his 


Two  Arrests. 


103 


lips  moved,  but  in  the  hubbub  Allan  could  not  hear 
what  he  said. 

The  police  station  was  in  Elizabeth  Street.  It 
looked  very  gloomy,  somehow.  Dobbs  was  laugh 
ing  again  and  waving  his  free  hand,  just  before  he 
turned  into  the  doorway  of  the  station.  The  crowd 
had  grown  to  great  proportions  by  this  time.  Allan 
never  had  suspected  that  so  many  men  and  women, 
who  looked  as  if  they  might  have  something  better  to 
do,  would  take  so  much  interest  in  seeing  four  pris 
oners  taken  into  a  police  station.  Several  policemen 
on  the  sidewalk  seemed  to  be  amused ;  indeed,  the 
affair  appeared  to  be  something  of  a  joke  to  many 
people,  including  Pete. 


"Several  policemen  on  the  sidewalk  seemed  to  be  amused." 


Captain  Kodak. 

Allan,  followed  by  the  policeman  and  the  two  other 
prisoners,  found  his  way  through  the  police  station 
door. 

When  they  got  in  Dobbs  was  talking  over  the  rail 
ing  to  the  Sergeant  at  the  desk.  When  he  turned  and 
saw  Allan,  he  called  out  a  cheery  "  Hello  !  Did  you 
wonder  where  I  went  to  ?  So  you've  been  snapping 
an  arrest,  have  you  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Allan,  solemnly.  "  I've  been  getting 
arrested." 

"  You  ?  "  Dobbs  laughed  in  a  puzzled  way,  and 
looked  at  the  policeman,  who  was  pushing  Pete  a  little 
further  away  from  the  door.  "  Arrested  !  Wait  a 
minute,"  and  Dobbs  turned  again  to  the  desk,  while 
the  Sergeant  wrote  something  in  a  book,  and  the  man 
without  a  hat  answered  certain  questions  in  a  low  voice. 

Although  he  was  feeling  decidedly  uncomfortable, 
in  spite  of  finding  Dobbs  again,  and  although  there 
was  a  great  chorus  of  voices  in  the  street  and  a  crowd 
of  faces  at  the  door,  Allan  found  himself  watching  the 
face  of  the  man  without  a  hat.  It  seemed  to  him  that 
he  never  before  had  seen  a  face  so  white.  Once  the 
man  turned  and  looked  at  those  who  were  standing 
near  him.  He  had  extremely  dark  eyes,  that  twitched 
—  sad-looking  eyes,  Allan  thought. 

When  the  man  was  led  away  toward  the  back  .room 
Dobbs  swung  about  quickly,  and  said,  "  What's  this  ? 
Arrested  ?  What  for  ?  " 

"  They  stole  my  camera,"  Allan  replied,  "and  I 
was  trying  to  get  it  again." 

"  How  about  this,  Steve  ?  "  asked  Dobbs  of  the 
policeman  who  had  captured  Allan,  and  who  was  now 
leaning  lazily  against  the  railing. 

"  I  dunno,"  returned  Steve.     "  They  were  in  a  mix- 


Two  Arrests.  105 

up  when  I  got  there.  This  young  rat  here  had  the 
camera,"  and  he  pointed  to  the  smallest  boy.  "  Do 
you  know  him  ?  "  he  added,  pointing  to  Allan. 

"  Why,  he's  my  neighbor !  "  said  Dobbs,  who  evi 
dently  was  much  amused.  "This  is  his  camera.  I've 
been  taken  with  that  myself.  I  just  left  him  half  an 
hour  ago,  when  I  first  spotted  the  ghost." 

"  I  thought  it  was  his,"  pursued  the  policeman, 
though  Allan  looked  savage,  and  didn't  believe  him. 
"  Thought  I'd  bring  in  the  whole  debating  club,  and 
let  them  have  out  the  scrap  here.  I  suppose  Pete  was 
trying  to  win  that  box." 

"  Well,  we'll  put  the  pair  in  for  this,"  said  Dobbs, 
frowning  at  Pete  and  the  other  boy.  "  Did  they  hurt 
you  ?  "  he  asked  Allan. 

"  No,"  Allan  answered,  "  but  I  think  I  hurt  them  a 
little." 

Pete's  upper  lip  was  swollen  until  he  presented  a 
comical  appearance.  Dobbs  saw  this,  and  a  twinkle 
came  into  his  eyes.  "  You  young  highwayman  !  "  he 
growled  at  Pete. 

"  I  was  only  foolin',"  whined  Pete. 

"  Well,"  demanded  the  deep  baritone  voice  of  the 
Sergeant,  behind  the  desk. 

"  I  wish  you'd  let  them  go,"  protested  Allan. 
Dobbs  was  picking  up  the  camera. 

"  What !  "  growled  Dobbs,  with  something  in  his 
voice  that  made  Allan  understand  that  he  didn't  mean 
it ;  "  let  these  bandits  go  ?  " 

"  We  didn't  know  whose  it  was,"  whimpered  the 
smallest  boy. 

"  Of  course,"  snorted  Dobbs  again,  "  you  were 
looking  for  the  owner,  weren't  you,  like  a  good  little 
boy  ?  " 


106  Captain  Kodak. 

"No  complaint?"  asked  the  Sergeant,  in  a  dry 
tone. 

"Now,  Sergeant,"  said  Dobbs,  holding  up  the 
camera  and  blinking  into  the  finder,  "  please  look 
pleasant ;  it  may  hurt  your  face  to  do  it,  but  look 
sweet  for  just  a  moment." 

"What  about  this,  Steve  ?  "  demanded  the  Sergeant, 

•*  O  y 

turning  to  the  policeman. 

"He  won't  make  a  complaint,"  said  Steve. 

"  Then  get  out  of  here  !  "  ordered  the  Sergeant,  in 
a  terrifying  voice  to  Pete  and  his  companion,  and 
those  two  reprobates  did  get  out  with  wonderful 
agility. 

After  they  had  gone  Allan  was  surprised  to  notice 
what  a  pleasant  smile  the  Sergeant  had.  Dobbs  went 
on  to  tell  Allan,  and  the  Sergeant  at  the  same  time, 
how  he  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  man  with  the 
white  face,  whom  he  called  the  Ghost ;  how  the  man 
darted  into  the  alley ;  how  he  had  pursued  him 
through  the  two  alleys  into  the  side  street,  and  into 
other  alleys ;  how  he  had  lost  him,  summoned  the 
assistance  of  a  policeman,  and  searched  several  houses 
for  him  ;  how  they  caught  him  at  last  stretched  on  his 
face  under  the  rafters. 

"  And  I  have  been  looking  for  him  for  three  years  ! " 
chuckled  Dobbs. 

"  What  did  he  do  ?  "  asked  Allan. 

"  Do  ?  What  didn't  he  do  ?  That  fellow's  been 
bad  ever  since  he  began  to  breathe.  We  want  him  in 
Hazenfield  for  a  store  robbery  and  nearly  killing  a 
watchman.  Did  I  worry  you  some  by  running  away  ?  " 

"  I  was  bothered  a  little,"  admitted  Allan. 

"  Well,  I've  got  to  leave  the  Ghost  here  until  court 

3  O 

hours  to-morrow,  and  I'll  be  going  back  to  Hazenfield 


Two  Arrests.  107 

soon.  Suppose  we  take  another  turn  around  before 
we  go  back." 

"  I'll  have  to  change  my  plates,  somehow,"  said 
Allan. 

"All  right,"  and  the  detective  went  back  to  find  the 
doorman.  Presently  he  returned  with  a  sprightly, 
gray-haired  man  at  his  elbow.  "  The  doorman  says  he 
has  just  the  place  for  you  here." 

The  place  suggested  by  the  doorman  proved  to 
be  quite  what  Allan  needed,  as  far  as  being  dark,  for 
when  he  had  closed  the  door  there  was  not  a  speck  of 
light  anywhere.  It  was  a  large  closet  with  an  old 
trunk  in  one  corner,  an  old  coat  with  brass  buttons 
hanging  over  it.  A  musty  smell  pervaded  the  place, 
a  rat  scampered  somewhere  in  the  darkness,  and  Allan 
did  not  especially  enjoy  the  interval  during  which  he 
transferred  his  used  plates  to  the  box,  and  the  new 
plates  to  the  holders. 

Dobbs  was  outside  guarding  the  door,  though  the 
doorman  said  that  no  one  ever  would  think  of  open 
ing  it. 

"  Ah,  Captain  !  "  cried  Dobbs,  as  Allan  emerged 
from  the  closet.  "  Loaded  for  bear  now,  are  you  ?  " 

The  doorman  took  great  interest  in  the  camera,  and 
so  did  the  Sergeant.  Allan  felt  very  grateful  and  gen 
erous,  and  suggested  taking  the  Sergeant  at  his  desk, 
the  doorman  standing  near  with  his  keys  in  a  military 
attitude. 

"  I  guess  I  should  count  six,"  said  Allan,  "  and  you 
mustn't  move." 

"  Hear  that,  Sergeant  ?  "  demanded  Dobbs.  "  Look 
benevolent  and  don't  breathe." 

At  this  the  Sergeant's  lips  twitched,  but  he  held 
quite  still  until  Allan  had  completed  the  exposure. 


io8  Captain   Kodak. 

The  thing  was  hardly  done  when  a  policeman  came 
in  with  another  prisoner. 

"  Business  is  good  to-day,"  laughed  Dobbs  ;  "  good- 
by,  Sergeant ;  hold  on  tight  to  my  Ghost." 

Then  Allan  confessed  to  Dobbs  that  he  had  for 
gotten  to  change  the  focus  of  his  camera  to  short 
range,  and  that  the  picture  certainly  was  spoiled. 

"  Let  it  go,"  Dobbs  said  reassuringly.  "  They'll 
forget  all  about  it,  anyway.  What  do  you  say  to 
walking  up  to  the  Grand  Central  by  way  of  Broad 
way  ?  We  can  take  in  Union  and  Madison  Squares 
and  so  on." 

Allan  thought  this  a  good  idea.  The  truth  is,  he 
was  feeling  resentful  toward  the  regions  in  which  he 

D  c.? 

had  spent  most  of  the  time  since  reaching  the  city  in 
the  morning.  He  was  glad  to  getaway  toward  Union 
Square  and  up-town. 

Dobbs  made  many  suggestions  as  to  pictures,  but 
Allan  did  not  find  it  to  be  possible  to  act  upon  many  of 
them.  He  made  some  pictures  in  the  squares,  —  a  tramp 
asleep,  the  Plaza  at  Twenty-third  Street,  carriage- 
crowded  Fifth  Avenue,  the  kaleidoscopic  bustle  at  the 
Grand  Central. 

When  they  were  on  the  train  again,  Allan  began  to 
feel  that  it  had  been  a  notable  day.  Taking  the  pic 
tures  had  made  the  trip  seem  more  interesting  than 
ever  before,  and  the  arrest  — 

He  hated  to  think  about  the  arrest.  It  had  hap 
pened  by  no  fault  of  his,  unless  it  might  be  the  fault 
of  leaving  the  camera  where  he  did  when  he  helped 
carry  the  old  woman  into  the  house.  But  he  felt 
soiled  by  it,  and  grew  red  in  the  face  again  at  the 
thought  of  the  crowds  that  had  looked  at  him  and 
perhaps  measured  him  as  a  criminal. 


Two   Arrests. 


109 


"  A  tramp  asleep." 

When  they  parted  Dobbs  made  Allan  promise  to 
let  him  have  a  proof  of  Sporty's  picture  as  soon  as  he 
could.  "  I'd  like  to  have  a  squint  at  those  others 
too,"  he  said. 

Allan  himself  was  eager  to  see  the  results  of  his 
day's  work  with  the  camera;  and  although  his  mother 
and  Edith  were  much  absorbed  in  his  account  of  the 
day's  incidents,  he  spent  the  half-hour  before  supper 
in  preparing  the  dark  room  for  the  developing. 

Edith  followed  him  and  had  a  score  of  inquiries  as 
to  the  Bowery,  and  the  mysterious  alley,  and  Broad 
way,  and  the  battle  with  the  boys. 

"  And  just    to    think,   Allan,   those    horrid    police 


no  Captain  Kodak. 

might  have  locked  you  in  a  cell  like  a  common  crimi 
nal." 

"Anyway,  I  was  glad  to  see  Mr.  Dobbs,"  said  Allan. 
"  He  used  to  be  on  the  force  in  New  York,  and  he 
knows  everybody." 

"  And  I  hope,  Allan,  you'll  never  want  to  go  in 
those  dreadful  places  any  more.  I  like  pictures  of 
pleasant  places  and  nice-looking  people." 

"  It  takes  all  sorts  of  people  to  make  a  world," 
said  Allan,  rinsing  a  tray  under  the  tap. 

"  Yes,"  admitted  Edith,  "  but  you  don't  need  to 
mix  with  all  sorts." 

After  supper  Allan  began  his  developing,  and  Dr. 
Hartel  was  with  him  for  fully  an  hour,  long  enough  to 
see  the  picture  of  Sporty  and  the  Bowery  shoe-black, 
and  the  group  of  boys  around  the  "  Lemonade  Man." 

It  was  all  very  fascinating,  this  work  in  the  red 
glow  of  the  lamp,  —  the  moments  of  expectation  until 
the  first  signs  of  the  image  appeared,  the  slow  growth 
of  the  picture  under  the  ripple  of  the  developer,  the 
glimpse  of  the  clear  negative  after  the  fixing.  The 
trickle  of  the  water  from  the  washing-box  was  real 
music  to  Allan. 

Of  course  there  were  disappointments  in  some  of 
the  plates,  resulting  from  mistakes  in  the  focussing, 
from  intrusive  foreground  figures,  from  too  rapid 
movements  that  made  a  blur.  But  there  were  com 
pensations  too,  for  there  were  many  unexpectedly 
interesting  things  in  the  pictures,  things  not  seen  by 
Allan  at  the  moment  of  pressing  his  trigger,  funny 
gestures  of  people,  droll  expressions  of  faces. 

It  was  nearly  ten  o'clock  when  Allan  left  his  last 
plates  washing  and  went  into  the  house  to  report  on 
his  successes  and  failures.  He  carried  with  him  a 


Two  Arrests.  113 

rack  holding  the  first  dozen  of  the  plates,  which  he 
wanted  to  study  in  the  better  light  of  the  sitting-room 
lamp.  This  lamp  had  a  plain  ground-glass  shade, 
which  made  just  the  right  relief  for  the  image  of  a 
negative. 

Half  an  hour  later,  when  Allan  returned  to  the 
stable,  he  found  the  door  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs 
slightly  ajar.  This  reminded  him  of  the  night  his 
plates  were  stolen.  It  set  him  thinking  very  quickly. 

He  had  closed  the  door  when  he  left  the  stable. 
He  remembered  turning  about  with  the  rack  in  one 
hand  while  he  drew  the  knob  with  the  other. 

Yes,  he  was  sure  he  had  closed  the  door.  He 
stepped  within  the  doorway,  and  almost  as  he  did  so 
he  heard  a  step  on  the  stair  and  a  shufHe  as  if  some 
one  were  crowding  against  the  wall  in  the  shadow. 

"Who's  there  ?  "  asked  Allan. 

There  was  no  answer. 

"  You  might  as  well  speak,"  continued  Allan  ;  "  you 
can't  get  away." 

No  sound  came  in  reply  to  this. 

Allan  opened  the  door  as  far  as  it  would  go,  and  as 
he  did  so  a  figure  arose  in  front  of  him  and  roughly 
tried  to  slip  past  him.  Allan  was  too  quick  for  the 
figure.  He  caught  it  with  both  hands  —  for  happily 
he  had  not  carried  anything  with  him  to  the  stable  — 
and  with  all  the  force  at  his  command  threw  it  back 
against  the  steps. 

The  figure  grunted  at  this  but  gave  no  other  sign 
that  might  help  to  its  identification. 

"  Who  are  you  ?  "  demanded  Allan  again,  panting 
with  his  exertions  to  hold  the  wriggling  unknown,  who 
presently  worked  his  way  off  the  steps  and  with  a 
quick  leap  to  his  feet  had  almost  reached  the  door, 


ii4  Captain  Kodak. 

when  Allan  caught  him  again  and  the  two  dropped  in 
a  heap  across  the  sill. 

The  light  from  the  house  now  fell  on  the  face  of 
the  unknown.     It  was  Cheney. 


IX. 


GREAT    EXPECTATIONS. 


was  very  much 
frightened,  but  he  cried 

sullenly,   "You    let   me 

i  » 
go! 

Allan  did  let  him  up 
from   the  ground,  but 
still  held  fast  to  him. 
"  So  you  are  the  thief, 
Cheney  ?       And    you 
want  more,  do  you  ?  " 
Allan's  voice  trembled. 
"  Cheney,    I'm    going 
to   hand   you   over  to 
the    police.     You    de 
serve  it.     You  robbed 
me,  and  now  you  were 
trying  to  do  it  again." 
"  No,    I  wasn't,"   whim 
pered  Cheney.     "  Let  me 
go,  Allan  !     Don't  have  me 
arrested.     Please,  Allan  !  " 
Then  Cheney  suddenly  gave  a  violent  twist  of  his 
body,    hoping  to    catch   Allan   unawares,   and   escape. 
But  Allan's  fingers  never  loosened  their  hold. 

"  It's    no    use,   Cheney,"   Allan    said,    speaking    as 


n6  Captain  Kodak. 

quietly  as  his  excitement  would  permit.  "  It  wouldn't 
do  you  any  good  to  get  away,  anyhow.  I  know  who 
it  is,  and  you  would  be  arrested  before  morning." 

Cheney  began  to  cry.     "  Don't,  Allan." 

"  But  you  are  a  thief,  Cheney." 

"  No,  I  ain't,  Allan ;  I  did  take  them,  but  I  just 
put  them  back." 

"  Put  them  back  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Allan,  they're  up  there  all  right." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  have  brought  them  back  ?  " 

"  Sure,"  Cheney  answered  fervently. 

"  Well,  let  us  see,"  said  Allan.  "  You  go  up  first ;  " 
and  he  made  Cheney  go  ahead  of  him  up  the  stairs 
in  the  dark  —  for  he  had  absently  blown  out  his  light 
when  he  went  into  the  house.  Allan  struck  a  match 
at  the  top  step. 

"  See  !  there  they  are  !  "  and  Cheney  pointed  to  the 
three  plates  lying  on  a  chair,  the  first  object  Cheney 
had  encountered  in  the  dark. 

Allan  picked  up  the  plates,  holding  the  match  in 
his  other  hand.  The  match  burned  out,  and  he  struck 
another,  and  lighted  his  "  white  lamp."  Then  he 
looked  at  the  plates,  one  by  one,  to  see  that  they 
were  not  injured.  Convinced  that  they  were  not 
harmed,  he  turned  to  Cheney,  who  stood  falteringly 
and  uneasily  watching  him. 

"  Well,  you  can  go,  Cheney,  for  all  I  care." 

Cheney  immediately  began  to  recover  his  self-pos 
session. 

"  Oh,  I  was  only  foolin',  Allan.  I  was  goin'  to 
bring  them  back." 

"  You  did  bring  them  back,"  said  Allan.  "  That 
saved  you.  I  guess  I  can  get  Detective  Dobbs  to  let 
you  go." 


Great   Expectations.  117 

"Detective  Dobbs,"  stammered  Cheney;  "you're 
bluffing." 

"  Well,  Dobbs  isn't,"  said  Allan.  "  He  suspected 
you  from  the  first.  He  spoke  to  you  about  the  plates, 
didn't  he  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  Cheney  admitted,  "  but  I  didn't  think  he 
knew  anything.  He  only  said  some  pictures  were 
stolen,  and  if  I  saw  anybody  with  them  I  better  tell 
him  to  get  them  back  in  a  hurry." 

"  Look  here,  Cheney,"  demanded  Allan,  stepping 
close  to  the  other,  "  what  did  you  take  them  for  ? " 

Cheney  was  staring  at  the  floor.  Then  he  lifted 
his  head.  "  Oh,  I  told  you,"  he  said.  "  Just  for 
fun." 

"  No,  you  didn't,  Cheney." 

But  Cheney  would  confess  nothing  further ;  and 
when  it  occurred  to  Allan  that  asking  Cheney  why  he 
took  the  plates  was  tempting  him  to  confess  that  he 
had  thought  to  shield  his  father,  he  decided  to  say 
nothing  further  about  the  matter  to  Cheney.  The 
plates  were  there  again  —  that  was  pleasanter  to  think 
of  than  proving  any  one  to  be  a  thief. 

"  Let  it  go,"  was  all  that  Allan  finally  said  to  Cheney. 

"  You're  not  going  to  say  anything  about  it,  are 
you  ?  "  asked  Cheney. 

"  No." 

And  then  Cheney  shuffled  down  the  steps,  and  was 
gone. 

Allan  intended  to  take  his  newly  developed  plates 
out  of  the  washing-box  and  place  them  in  the  rack. 
He  scarcely  took  time  to  glance  at  them.  The  im 
portant  thing  at  that  moment  seemed  to  be  that  the 
fire  negatives  were  safe  after  all. 

When  he  ran  into  the  house,  Allan  held  the  three 


n8  Captain  Kodak. 

plates  aloft  and  cried  out  to  his  mother  and   Edith, 
"  Guess  ! " 

"  Something  good  you  caught  to-day  ? "  asked 
Edith. 

Mrs.  Hartel  saw  something  different  in  Allan's  face. 
"  The  fire  negatives  !  "  she  said,  —  "  you  found 
them  ! " 

"  They  are  the  fire  negatives,"  Allan  said  exultantly, 
"but  I  didn't  find  them  exactly,  —  the  thief  brought 
them  back." 

"  The  thief —  brought  them  back  !  "  exclaimed 
Edith. 

Allan  nodded.  "And  they're  not  scratched.  Isn't 
it  lucky  ? " 

"  Who  was  it  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Hartel. 
"  Cheney." 

Mrs.  Hartel  shook  her  head  regretfully.  "  I'm  very 
sorry  it  was  Cheney." 

Allan  related  the  incident  of  the  meeting,  the  strug 
gle,  and  the  confession. 

"  I  think  you  acted  rightly,"  said  Mrs.  Hartel.  :<  It 
will  be  as  well  to  say  nothing  more  about  it." 

"  Do  you  really  think,"  asked  Edith,  "  that  he  took 
the  plates  on  his  father's  account  —  because  he  was 
afraid  the  pictures  might  prove  something  against  his 
father?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Allan.  "  He  wouldn't  con 
fess —  and  I  didn't  much  care  to  make  him.  Anyway, 
I'm  quite  sure  his  father  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 
fire.  Mr.  Dobbs  doesn't  think  it  was  set  afire,  and 
the  factory  people  don't  either." 

"  I'm  glad,"  said  Edith.  "  It  seems  dreadful  to 
think  of — any  one  deliberately  setting  fire  to  a 
building." 


Great   Expectations.  119 

Dr.  Hartel  did  not  reach  home  until  late  that  night, 
but  Allan  waited  up  for  him.  He  wanted  to  tell  the 
news  himself. 

The  next  morning  he  hurried  over  to  Owen's  and 
to  Detective  Dobbs's  house.  Dobbs  only  remarked, 
"  I  thought  so."  The  detective  seemed  to  take  it  for 
granted  that  Cheney  would  go  unpunished.  "  But  he 
should  be  thrashed  for  it,"  he  said,  and  added  :  "  How 
about  Sporty's  picture  ?  " 

"  I  think  it  is  going  to  be  good,"  Allan  replied. 
"  I'll  fetch  you  a  proof  to-day."  He  could  see  that 
Dobbs  was  more  interested  in  Sporty's  picture  than  in 
anything  else,  though  he  seemed  to  enjoy  all  of  the 
proofs  of  the  pictures  made  in  New  York  which  Allan 
had  to  show  him  that  afternoon. 

Meanwhile,  Allan  had  gone  to  the  factory  superin 
tendent  and  delivered  the  plates  to  him.  The  super 
intendent  was  delighted. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  they  are  going  to  be  of  any 
use  to  us,"  he  said,  "  but  I  hated  to  lose  them  that 
way,  and  they  may  be  very  important.  Matling ! " 
called  the  superintendent  to  a  man  at  a  desk  in  the 
corner  of  the  factory  office,  "  make  out  a  check  to 
young  Hartel  for  fifty  dollars,  and  take  it  in  to  Mr. 
Ames." 

Allan  gave  his  full  name ;  the  check  was  signed  by 
a  white-haired  man  in  the  adjoining  room,  who  came 
out  from  the  inner  office  as  the  cashier  was  handing 
the  check  to  Allan. 

"  So  you  are  the  boy  who  photographed  the  fire," 
said  the  white-haired  man. 

"  I  guess  he  would  like  to  do  it  often,"  laughed  the 
superintendent. 

"  Probably  —  if  it  paid  as  well.     But  it  is  no  more 


120  Captain   Kodak. 

than  the  plates  are  worth  to  us  just  now.  I  want  to 
see  them."  And  the  white-haired  man  examined  the 
plates  with  great  interest.  "They  don't  look  much 
like  the  prints,  do  they  ?  I  tell  you,"  he  said,  turn 
ing  again  to  Allan,  "  you  must  let  us  call  on  you  some 
time  when  we  want  a  piece  of  photographic  work  done. 
We  probably  shan't  have  a  lawsuit  in  mind  again,  but 
there  are  things  we  need  from  time  to  time,  and  you 
could  make  use  of  a  little  money  now  and  then,  I  sup 
pose —  photography  costs  something,  doesn't  it?  " 

Allan  said  that  he  should  be  glad  to  try  his  hand  at 
anything  that  he  was  able  to  do.  "  You  see,  I'm  only 
a  beginner,"  he  said.  He  liked  the  white-haired  man, 
who  had  a  pleasant  look  in  his  eyes  and  whose  smile 
was  very  friendly. 

When  Allan  left  the  factory  the  feeling  of  good 
fortune,  of  having  succeeded  after  threatened  failure, 
of  new  opportunities  for  his  photographic  enthusiasm, 
not  to  mention  the  feeling  of  the  check  in  his  pocket 
and  the  new  privileges  it  promised,  gave  him  a  cheer 
ful  expression  of  countenance  which  doubtless  ap 
peared  to  Owen  when  he  met  him  on  his  way  back  to 
the  house. 

"  What  luck  ?  "  asked  Owen,  cheerily. 

"  Good  luck,"  answered  Allan.  "  Everything  is  all 
settled.  They  paid  me  for  the  plates,  and  the  old 
gentleman  —  the  president  of  the  company  I  guess  he 
is  —  thinks  there  are  other  things  I  might  do  for 
them." 

"  That's  great !  "  exclaimed  Owen. 

"  And,  Owen,"  Allan  went  on,  "  I  shan't  have  a 
bit  of  fun  out  of  this  money  until  you  have  divided 
it  with  me." 

"  No,   no  !  "   exclaimed    Owen,  sincerely,  "  I   don't 


"'Well,'  interposed  Owen,  '1  tell  you  what  we  might  do.'" 


Great  Expectations.  123 

think  I  should  have  any  of  that.  I  only  helped  you ; 
it  was  your  camera." 

"  But,  Owen,"  insisted  Allan,  "you  did  a  good  deal 
more  than  help  me ;  you  really  did  most  of  the  work. 
Anyway,  I  couldn't  enjoy  the  money  unless  you 
shared  it.  It  wouldn't  seem  fair." 

"  But  I  couldn't  feel  comfortable,  either,  if  I  took 
it." 

"  Why  not,  Owen  ?  You  could  use  it  getting  some 
new  stuff,  and  —  " 

"  Well,"  interposed  Owen.  "  I  tell  you  what  we 
might  do.  Ever  since  I  saw  those  rooms  in  your 
coach-house,  I  have  been  thinking  that  it  would  be  a 
fine  idea  for  us  to  have  them  for  a  club  —  a  camera 
club,  if  your  father  would  let  us  have  them.  Now,  if 
you  really  think  you  couldn't  be  happy  with  all  that 
money,  why  not  take  some  of  it  and  spend  it  fixing 
up  the  rooms  and  getting  things  for  a  club  ? " 

"  Splendid  !  "  cried  Allan.  "  It  wouldn't  seem  so 
good  as  giving  to  you,  Owen ;  but  it  would  be  great 
to  have  a  club,  and  we  could  all  have  the  use  of  better 
materials  than  we  could  afford  to  have  on  our  own 
account." 

"  Besides,"  continued  Owen,  "  McConnell  was  with 
us,  and  he  would  feel  badly  if  he  wasn't  counted  in. 
He  told  me  to-day  his  brother  was  going  to  give  him 
money  for  a  camera  next  Saturday,  and  it  would  be 
right  to  count  him  in  as  a  —  what  do  you  call  it?  — 
charter  member  of  the  club.  After  that  the  others 
who  came  in  would  have  to  pay  an  initiation  fee." 

"  Yes,"  Allan  assented,  "  we  must  have  McConnell." 

"  Do  you  think  your  father  would  let  us  use  the 
coach-house  ?  " 

"I'm  sure  he  would,"  Allan  declared.     "There  are 


124  Captain   Kodak. 

three  rooms  there  he  never  uses,  and  —  hello!  there's 
McConnell  now." 

McConnell  was  on  his  wheel,  and  was  riding  with 
his  hands  in  his  pockets  —  a  trick  to  which  he  was 
addicted.  When  he  saw  the  boys  he  made  so  sudden 
a  movement  to  extricate  his  hands  and  grasp  the  handle 
bars  for  a  quick  stop,  that  he  had  a  narrow  escape  from 
a  tumble  in  the  gutter. 

"  McConnell,"  said  Owen,  "  if  you  think  you  can 
do  that  again,  I'll  go  and  get  my  camera." 

"  I  hope  you  didn't  worry,"  said  McConnell,  coolly. 
"  I  can  stop  and  dismount  with  my  hands  in  my 
pockets  and  not  spill  the  machine  either." 

"  You  ought  to  have  joined  the  circus,"  Allan  said. 

"  Or  Buffalo  Bill,"  added  Owen. 

"  Oh,  say  !  "  exclaimed  McConnell,  "  did  you  hear 
that  Buffalo  Bill  was  going  to  be  at  Fitchville  next 
month  ? " 

"  The  Camera  Club  will  have  to  go  over,"  said 
Owen. 

"  The  Camera  Club  ?  "  queried  McConnell. 

"Yes,  McConnell;  you  didn't  know,  did  you,  that 
you  are  a  member  of  the  Camera  Club  ?  " 

"  Am  I  ?     Without  a  camera  ?  " 

"  Well,  you'll  have  one  before  the  club  gets  ready 
to  be  a  club." 

"  I  will  have  one  soon,"  said  McConnell.  "  I  hope 
next  week.  But  what  do  you  mean  by  the  club  ? 

"  We  have  been  talking  it  over,"  Allan  said,  "  and 
Owen  thinks  we  might  have  a  club  in  our  coach-house 
rooms.  I  got  my  money  from  the  factory  people 
to-day." 

"You  did?"  exclaimed  McConnell;  "without  the 
plates  ?  " 


Great  Expectations.  125 

"  But  I  got  the  plates  again  ; "  and  Allan  explained 
the  situation  to  McConnell,  how  they  had  decided  to 
use  half  the  money  in  fitting  up  the  rooms,  and  that 
Owen,  McConnell,  and  Allan  were  to  be  charter  mem 
bers  of  the  club. 

McConnell  did  not  conceal  his  delight  over  this 
news. 

"  Then  I  must  have  a  camera  !  "  he  cried.  "  And 
are  you  going  to  get  a  new  camera,  Allan  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  I'll  get  a  cartridge  Kodak." 

"  Then  why  not  sell  me  your  Wizard  ?  " 

"  I  want  to  sell  it,  and  if  you'd  like  it  —  " 

"  I  would  like  it,"  said  McConnell.  "  I  know  what 
it  can  do." 

Allan  mused  a  moment.  "  But  I  haven't  thought 
anything  about  what  I  should  sell  it  for.  It's  second 
hand  now." 

"  Oh,  it  isn't  very  second-hand,"  McConnell  said. 

"  It  is  a  fifteen-dollar  camera,"  said  Allan.  "  Would 
ten  dollars  be  too  much  ?  " 

"  I  think  that  would  be  very  fair,"  said  Owen. 

"  So  do  I,"  added  McConnell,  "and  that's  just  what 
Bill  has  promised  me." 

"  Then  we  are  all  fixed  !  "  laughed  Owen.  "  Suppose 
the  club  goes  and  has  a  meeting  ?  " 

"  I'll  agree  to  that,"  said  Allan,  "  if  you  fellows  will 
go  with  me  to  Wincher's  while  I  get  my  cartridge 
camera.  I  can't  wait." 

"  That's  all  right,"  said  Owen,  "  we'll  have  the  first 
meeting  of  the  club  at  Wincher's  ;  and  besides,  we 
want  to  see  what  he  has  that  we  can  use  for  the  club, 
don't  we  ?  " 

"Surely,"  Allan  assented,  "and  the  club  will  be  on 
hand  to  say  what  it  wants." 


1 26  Captain  Kodak. 

McConnell  was  immensely  happy,  and  turned  a 
handspring  before  getting  on  his  wheel. 

Allan  knew  that  Wincher  had  a  "four  by  five" 
cartridge  Kodak  in  stock,  and  he  went  straight  to  the 
point  as  soon  as  he  arrived  at  the  store.  Wincher  put 
out  the  camera  on  the  case,  and  Allan  lifted  it  with 
affectionate  eagerness.  They  opened  the  folding  front, 
and  Wincher  reached  for  a  film  cartridge  and  showed 
Allan  how  it  was  placed  in  position  by  removing  the 
sliding  back  of  the  box.  It  was  all  very  pretty  and 
ingenious  and  simple,  and  the  boys  were  delighted. 
To  make  Allan's  satisfaction  complete  Wincher  gave 
a  cartridge  with  the  camera  for  the  twenty-five  dol 
lars. 

"  And  now,"  said  Allan,  "  the  club  can  do  as  it  likes 
with  the  other  twenty-five." 

"  Don't  you  think,"  said  Owen,  "  that  we  had  better 
speak  to  your  father  first,  and  then  make  our  plans  ?  " 

"  If  you  like,"  Allan  said;  "  but  I  know  it  will  be 
all  right.  And  then  we  might  look  around  the  rooms 
and  decide  what  we  need." 

Dr.  Hartel  was  much  pleased  with  the  plans  for  a 
club.  He  promised  the  boys  several  chairs,  a  box- 
scales,  and  other  furnishings,  which  he  had  in  mind, 
and  gave  them  some  advice  as  to  rules  which  they 
must  adopt  as  to  the  use  and  care  of  the  dark  room. 
It  was  agreed  that  the  rules  should  be  written  and 
posted  in  the  rooms. 

"  You  see,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  when  your  new  mem 
bers  come  in  there  would  be  confusion  if  you  did  not 
have  working  rules  and  regulations." 

The  boys  had  not  thought  much  about  the  other 
members.  "  I  wish  there  never  would  be  any  more," 
said  ^McConnell,  "but  just  us." 


Great  Expectations.  127 

"  But  your  new  members  will  bring  more  funds  and 
you  can  improve  your  outfit.  However,"  added  the 
Doctor,  "  you  must  limit  your  membership." 

"  Do  you  mean,  The  Hazenfield  Camera  Club 
Limited  ?  "  asked  Allan. 

"  No,"  laughed  the  Doctor,  "  that  Limited  means 
something  different.  I  mean  that  you  must  decide 
now  to  have  a  certain  number  of  members  at  the 
most  —  say,  twenty-five." 

"  Twenty-five  !  "  exclaimed  Allan.  "  Where  could 
we  put  them  ?  " 

"  Oh,  they  wouldn't  all  be  there  at  the  same  time. 
But  you  boys  must  plan  all  these  things  for  yourselves. 
Find  out  how  the  best  camera  clubs  are  managed,  and 
follow  their  example.  Make  yourselves  at  home  in 
the  coach-house,  and  call  on  me  when  you  need  help." 

The  boys  did  immediately  proceed  to  make  them 
selves  at  home  in  the  club  rooms,  which  they  surveyed 
with  a  pride  greater  than  they  ever  had  experienced 
before.  The  rooms,  small  as  they  were,  seemed 
spacious  and  important,  and  gave  the  boys  a  grown-up 
and  authoritative  feeling. 

"  Do  you  want  your  camera  now  ?  "  asked  Allan, 
handing  the  Wizard  to  McConnell. 

"  But  I  haven't  the  money  yet,"  faltered  McConnell. 

"  What  of  that  ?  I  don't  need  it.  Whenever  you 
are  ready." 

McConnell  murmured  a  "  Thank  you,  Allan,"  and 
gave  the  Wizard  a  friendly  hug. 

"And  now,"  said  Owen,  "before  we  go  any  further, 
I  nominate  for  President  of  the  club,  Mr.  Allan 
Hartel." 

"  Hold  on,  Owen  !  "  interposed  Allan,  "  you  are 
the  oldest,  you  must  be  President." 


128  Captain  Kodak. 

Owen  ignored  this  interruption.  "  All  those  in 
favor  will  please  say,  Aye  !  "  and  Owen  and  McCon- 
nell  roared  a  tremendous  "  Aye  !  " 

"  It's  carried  unanimously  !  "  exclaimed  Owen. 

"But,  Owen  — " 

"  And  I  move  further,"  went  on  Owen,  "  that  Mr. 
Percy  McConnell  be  Secretary.  All  in  favor  will 
please  say,  Aye  !  "  and  Allan  now  joined  with  Owen  in 
a  resounding  affirmative  vote.  McConnell  looked 
overpowered. 

"  Then  you  must  be  Treasurer,  Owen,"  declared 
Allan. 

"  Then  elect  me  unanimously,"  said  Owen,  "  or 
there  will  be  trouble  !  " 

"All  in  favor  —  "  Allan  began. 

"  Aye  !  "  shouted  McConnell,  Allan  following  after. 

"  All  unanimously  elected  !  "  said  Owen.  "  That's 
good.  Now  we  are  a  club  ! " 


X. 


THE    CAMERA   CLUB. 


i 


DON'T  think," 
said    Allan    that 
afternoon,  "  that 
any     club     ever     had 
more  officers   in    pro 
portion    to    its    mem 
bership     than     this 
has." 

"  Yes,"  said  Owen, 
"  if  we  went  into  bat 
tle  now  the  number 
of  officers  killed  would 
be  simply  awful." 

"  I  suppose  Mebley 
will  want  to  come  in," 
said  McConnell. 
"And  Varner,"  added  Allan. 
"And  May  Pelwin,"  Owen  ventured. 
"  Will  there  be  girls  here  ?  "  asked  McConnell,  with 

O 

perhaps  a  little  of  disappointment  in  his  tone. 

"Why  not?"  demanded  Allan. 

"  Oh,"  said  McConnell,  with  a  shrug  of  his  shoul 
ders,  "  I  didn't  think  they  had  girls  in  a  club.      I  knew 
they  had  them  in  societies,  and  associations,  and  lodges, 
and  circles,  —  but  not  in  clubs." 
K  129 


130  Captain  Kodak. 

"  Pshaw  !  "  said  Owen,  "  girls  belong  to  everything 
nowadays." 

"  I  don't  suppose  we  need  worry,"  said  Allan,  "they 
may  not  think  it  is  nice  enough  to  join.  We've  got 
to  fix  this  place  up  a  good  deal  before  many  will  want 
to  join.  Don't  you  think  we  ought  to  paint  it  a 
little?" 

"  I  think  we  ought  to  clean  it  a  little  anyway,"  was 
Owen's  opinion,  "  clear  out  the  dust  from  the  front 
room.  You've  got  the  dark  room  all  right.  Suppose 
we  have  another  tap  and  sink,  so  that  two  of  us  can 
work  at  the  same  time  if  we  want  to  ? " 

"  Good  idea,"  assented  Allan,  "  and  an  extra  lamp. 
Then  we  will  want  another  fixing-tray  —  a  large  one; 
another  rack  ;  and  I  was  looking  at  that  washing-box 
Wincher  has  ;  what  do  you  say  to  that  ?  " 

"  I  have  been  thinking,"  said  Owen,  "  that  we  might 
have  a  gas  meter  put  in  and  use  these  gas  connections. 
Then  we  could  run  a  line  of  pipe  over  the  two  sinks, 
and  use  gas  in  sliding-front  red-glass  boxes  or  some 
thing  of  that  sort." 

Allan  and  McConnell  both  thought  this  was  a 
capital  idea.  "  And  what  do  you  think,"  asked 
Allan,  "of  boxing  in  the  head  of  the  stairs,  so  as  to 
keep  out  the  light  coming  from  the  door  in  the  day 
time  ?  We  should  have  to  do  that  anyhow  to  keep  it 
warm  here  in  winter." 

"  That's  so,"  said  Owen. 

Allan  drew  from  his  pocket  a  piece  of  paper  covered 
with  pencil  lines.  "This  is  what  I  really  was  thinking 
of  doing  here,"  he  said.  The  boys  studied  the  diagram 
in  which  Allan  had  planned  certain  improvements  in 
the  dark  room,  and  had  set  off  the  smaller  of  the  two 
rooms  on  the  front  for  a  printing  room. 


The  Camera  Club.  131 

"Just  the  thing!  "  was  Owen's  comment. 

Yet,  after  much  discussion,  which  occupied  most  of 
the  following  morning,  the  boys  made  radical  changes 
in  these  plans.  They  finally  decided  to  divide  with  a 
partition  the  room  which  had  been  used  for  develop 
ing,  leaving  access  from  the  stairs  to  the  front  room 
without  interference  with  the  dark  room  work ;  and 
by  making  the  dark  room  smaller  several  advantages 
seemed  to  be  gained. 

Unfortunately  the  estimates  for  these  changes,  from 
the  plumber  and  carpenter,  reached  forty-five  dollars. 

"  Then  we  can  do  the  carpentering  ourselves,"  said 
Allan.  "That  will  make  quite  a  difference."  Upon 
inquiry  they  found  this  would  make  ten  dollars 
difference. 

"  And  we  will  have  the  initiation  fees,"  said  Owen. 

They  had  decided  on  an  initiation  fee  of  three 
dollars  for  new  members,  with  monthly  dues  of  fifty 
cents. 

"  We  have  four  applications,"  said  McConnell. 
"  That  will  make  twelve  dollars." 

"  Then  we  are  safe  enough,"  said  Owen,  "  for  there 
will  be  other  new  members  as  soon  as  we  let  it  be 
known  that  we  have  a  camera  club  with  rooms  here." 

The  week  following  was  a  busy  one  for  the  boys. 
It  was  early  September,  and  the  weather  was  warm  ; 
so  warm  that  the  amateur  carpenters  in  the  coach 
house  found  their  work  very  arduous  at  times,  and 
were  not  unhappy  when  they  were  compelled  to  wait 
occasionally  in  order  to  keep  out  of  the  way  of  the 
plumbers. 

Before  the  work  was  finished  there  were  three  more 
applications  for  membership. 

"Say!"   cried   McConnell,   one   afternoon,   "guess 


Captain  Kodak. 

who  wants  to  be  a  member  ?     Oh,  you    never  will  — 
Mr.  Thornton  !  " 

Mr.    Thornton    was    the    principal    of    the     high 
•      i  & 

school. 

Allan  dropped  his  hammer.     "  Mr.  Thornton  !  " 

"  Yes.  He  says  he  thinks  it  is  a  good  idea,  and 
that  he  has  been  wanting  a  place  where  he  could  do 
his  own  developing  if  he  wanted  to." 

"  Mr.  Thornton  boards  at  Mrs.  Peckpole's,"  said 
Owen,  "  and  you  know  what  a  crank  she  is.  Nobody 
could  ever  do  any  developing  in  her  house." 

"  I  never  thought  of  men  and  women  joining  the 
club,"  said  Allan,  a  little  perplexed. 

McConnell  was  decidedly  amused.  "  What  will 
they  think  of  us  kids  for  officers  ?  " 

"  We  shall  have  to  have  a  regular  constitution  with 
by-laws,"  said  Allan,  "  and  then  they  can  elect  new 
officers." 

What  actually  happened  was  this :  Within  two 
weeks  there  were  twenty  applications  for  membership 
in  the  club.  The  applicants  included  Miss  Manston, 
the  Mayor's  daughter,  Mrs.  Creigh,  the  librarian, 
Mr.  Austin,  the  Congregational  clergyman,  Mr. 
Goodstone  of  the  bank,  and  Major  Mines  from  the 
Ardmore  Farm,  —  an  aggregation  that  filled  Allan 
with  no  little  trepidation.  When  a  constitution  and 
by-laws  had  been  drawji  up,  a  thing  happened  that  very 
much  surprised  Allan  and  his  first  associates;  for  on 
motion  of  Mr.  Thornton  all  of  the  original  officers 
were  reflected  for  a  year.  Allan  could  scarcely  be 
lieve  the  vote,  and  Owen  grew  very  red  with  embar 
rassment.  As  for  McConnell,  he  seemed  perfectly 
at  home,  and  only  chuckled  with  pleasure  as  he 
recorded  the  vote  in  his  note-book. 


E? 

•a 


V) 

txo 


The  Camera  Club.  135 

The  first  formal  meeting  had  been  held  in  the 
larger  of  the  two  front  rooms  in  the  coach-house,  and 
the  fifteen  members  who  attended  did  not  find  them 
selves  greatly  crowded.  Under  the  new  constitution 
two  officers  were  added  —  a  Vice-President  and  a 
Curator.  Mrs.  Creigh  was  elected  Vice-President,  and 
the  office  of  Curator  was  bestowed  upon  Mr.  Good- 
stone,  who,  it  appeared  after  a  while  (the  boys  could 
not  fancy,  at  first,  what  a  curator  was  for),  would 
supervise  the  buying  of  supplies  for  the  club,  and 
have  authority  over  the  club  rooms.  The  funds  from 
the  increased  membership  enabled  the  club  to  com 
plete  in  a  satisfactory  way  the  arrangement  of  the  dark 
room  and  other  quarters.  One  feature  of  the  small 
room  created  by  the  dark  room  partition  was  a  series 
of  lockers,  each  member  thus  being  provided  with  a 
place  in  which  to  keep  his  personal  implements  and 
supplies. 

Dr.  Hartel  refused  to  accept  any  rental  for  the 
rooms,  but  did  not  refuse  an  election  as  honorary 
member,  and  watched  the  progress  of  the  club  with 
great  pride.  When  Edith  read  in  the  Hazenfield 
Herald  about  the  Camera  Club  election  of  officers, 
and  saw  Allan's  name  at  the  head  of  the  list,  she 
laughed  with  pleasure. 

It  was  at  the  first  meeting  that  Mr.  Austin  had 
said,  "  We  must  have  an  outing.  There  will  be  but 
a  few  more  weeks  of  good  outing  weather." 

The  proposal  met  with  favor.  Mr.  Goodstone 
suggested  Saturday  afternoons  for  weekly  club 
"  meets,"  and  the  first  meet  took  place  on  the  follow 
ing  Saturday,  when  twelve  of  the  members,  young  and 
old,  went  on  a  short  tramp  into  the  hills. 

Allan  thought  that  nothing  about  the  trip  was  so  in- 


136  Captain  Kodak. 

teresting,  so  truly  picturesque,  as  the  club  itself;  for  it 
was  a  mixed  company  truly.  The  most  serious-minded 
photographer  in  the  group  was  Major  Mines,  whose 
hired  man,  Napoleon,  a  portly  negro,  carried  an  im 
mense  outfit,  bristling  with  shining  modern  improve 
ments,  heavy  with  conveniences,  and  packed  into  the 
corners  with  things  you  might  want.  Some  of  the 
boys  were  always  ready  to  help  the  Major  get  Napo 
leon  and  his  outfit  over  a  fence ;  and,  indeed,  such 
assistance  was  necessary  if  the  Major  was  to  make  any 
progress.  The  Major  made  two  pictures  during  the 
day,  and  for  these  he  made  elaborate  preparations, 
choosing  his  view-point  after  long  study  on  a  plan  of 
action  he  had  laid  out,  and  setting  up  his  camera  only 
after  long  wrestlings  with  the  many  improvements  and 
conveniences  that  were  stowed  in  his  carrying  case. 
His  bald  head  remained  under  the  focussing  cloth  for 
minutes  at  a  time.  Twice  he  hobbled  down  a  field  to 
break  off  discordant  sprigs  and  branches.  When  he 
made  the  exposures  his  face  was  as  tense  and  solemn 
as  if  he  was  giving  the  signal  at  an  execution. 

A  little  Miss  Illwin  also  took  her  photography  with 
great  solemnity.  Miss  Illwin  was  very  cautious,  too. 
She  did  not  believe  in  wasting  plates.  All  the  after 
noon  she  debated  about  a  good  point  of  view.  She 
scrutinized  the  spots  selected  by  other  members,  and 
then  shook  her  head.  "  The  light  doesn't  seem  quite 
right,"  she  said.  Miss  Illwin  had  a  small,  dainty 
camera,  and  she  studied  the  finder  frequently,  pucker 
ing  her  white  forehead  and  shifting  her  eye-glasses  in 
an  earnest  and  tireless  way.  At  last  toward  four 
o'clock  she  was  discovered  on  the  brow  of  a  low  hill 
overlooking  a  brook.  For  a  long  time  she  stood  there 
in  the  sun,  quite  motionless,  with  her  head  under  the 


The   Camera   Club. 


137 


"Into  the  hills." 

focussing  cloth.  Then  her  head  lifted,  a  plate  holder 
was  placed  in  position,  the  exposure  accomplished, 
and  she  turned  and  hurried  after  the  nearest  group  of 
members. 

"  I  made  an  exposure  over  there,"  she  said,  with 
something  like  a  sigh,  "  but  I  don't  see  why  I  did  it. 
It  would  have  been  much  better  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill  !  " 

Mr.  Goodstone  and  Varner  and  Mebley  were  all 
very  exact  and  painstaking,  but  they  took  as  much 
pleasure  in  shooting  at  one  thing  as  another.  Miss 
Manston  frequently  asked  Allan's  assistance  here  and 
at  her  house.  Mrs.  Creigh  was  enthusiastic  over 
many  things,  and  worked  with  much  ardor  under  a 
heavy,  satin-lined  focussing  cloth.  Young  Coggshall 
complained  during  the  whole  trip,  —  of  the  heat  of 
the  sun,  of  the  stupidity  of  the  landscapes,  of  the 
meanness  of  plate-holders,  of  the  superiority  of  other 
landscapes,  other  times  of  the  year,  other  kinds  of 
plate-holders. 


ij'8  Captain  Kodak. 

Mr.  Austin  was  a  very  different  companion.  He 
watched  Allan  and  the  boys  at  work,  encouraged  Mrs. 
Creigh,  gave  a  hand  to  Major  Mines,  assisted  Mr. 
Goodstone  in  a  tape-measuring  experiment,  led  an 
expedition  to  a  hillside  farmhouse  after  a  pail  of  milk, 
and  joined  McConnell  in  a  camera  duel,  Owen  stand 
ing  by  and  dropping  a  handkerchief  as  a  signal  to  fire. 

In  the  suburbs  of  Hazenfield  Mr.  Austin  found  a 
group  of  barefooted  youngsters,  a  subject  entirely  to 
his  taste  —  no  one  excelled  Mr.  Austin  in  pictures  of 
children  —  and  while  he  was  photographing  the  group 
strung  along  in  the  road,  Allan  caught  both  group  and 
photographer,  laughingly  turning  his  head  when  he 
had  done  so  to  see  whether  any  one  had  caught  him 
in  turn.  This  happened  many  times  during  the  day, 
that  the  picture-makers  were  pictured.  Indeed,  Allan's 
pictures  were  almost  entirely  of  the  club  itself. 

The  same  thing  was  true  of  the  club's  trip  along 
the  river  front,  where  shore  and  river  offered  so  many 
interesting  backgrounds  to  any  theme  the  camera 
might  select.  On  this  day  McConnell  made  a  great 
success  with  a  train  coming  through  a  cutting. 

It  was  at  Allan's  suggestion  that  the  club  decided 
to  spend  a  Saturday  at  Central  Park  in  New  York, 
and  this  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  entertaining  and 
successful  trips  of  the  club.  In  the  first  place  nine 
teen  members  mustered  in  the  morning,  which  was  re 
garded  as  a  large  attendance;  and  Mr.  Goodstone,  who 
was  kept  at  the  bank  in  the  morning,  hunted  up  the 
party  before  the  afternoon  was  far  advanced. 

"  This  puts  me  in  mind  of  a  Cook's  tourist  party," 
said  Mr.  Austin. 

"  With  the  Major  *  personally  conducting  '  us," 
laughed  Mrs.  Creigh. 


The  Critical  Moment. 


The   Camera  Club. 


141 


"A  group  of  barefooted  youngsters." 

The  fact  is  that  while  Owen,  as  treasurer,  had  at 
tended  to  getting  the  tickets  at  the  station,  and  Allan, 
after  consultation  with  Mr.  Thornton,  had  written  to 
the  office  of  the  Park'  Board  for  permits  for  the  club, 
the  Major,  by  general  consent,  had  been  selected  to 
lead  the  party  in  the  park,  he  being  most  familiar  with 
all  the  features  of  this  beauty  spot  in  the  heart  of 
Manhattan. 

The  lakes  and  bridges  and  grottoes  of  the  park 
never  were  more  ardently  photographed  than  on  the 
day  when  the  Hazenfield  Camera  Club  descended 
upon  it.  Even  the  big  white  bear  at  the  Zoo,  who 
always  looked  bored  when  he  saw  a  camera,  stared 
curiously  at  the  Hazenfield  party  ;  the  ostriches  looked 


Captain   Kodak. 

scornful,  and  the  rhinoceros  seemed  likely  to  strangle 
himself  in  an  effort  to  keep  himself  out  of  sight  under 
water. 

Of  course  Allan  photographed  the  elephants.  All 
the  members  wanted  to  photograph  the  elephants,  and 
Major  Mines  induced  the  keeper  to  make  special  dis- 


"  The  big  white  bear." 

play  of  the  Princess  ;  and  the  Princess,  while  not  at  all 
guilty  of  looking  pleasant,  at  least  turned  an  almost 
motionless  profile  to  the  bristling  battery  of  cameras. 

"  Mercy  !  "  cried  Miss  Manston,  "  I  never  should 
have  supposed  anything  was  so  hard  as  photograph 
ing  an  elephant  with  so  many  people  looking  on!  " 

There  were  a  great  many  onlookers,  and  many  of 


The   Camera   Club. 


them  felt  quite  free  to  comment,  not  merely  on  the 
elephant  and  the  camera,  but  on  the  photographers. 
Miss  Illwin,  with  her  head  under  the  focussing  cloth, 
was  an  object  of  much  interest.  Miss  Illwin  had 
a  little  loop  stitched  to  her  hat  so  that  she  could  sus 
pend  it  from  a  hook  on  the  under  side  of  the  tripod 
after  it  had  been  set  up.  This  left  her  free  to  study 


"All  the  members  wanted  to  photograph  the  elephants." 

her  ground  glass  without  greater  disturbance  than  the 
mussing  of  her  hair,  which  did  not  seem  to  annoy  her 
at  all. 

It  was  a  balmy  day,  and  the  out-door  cages  were 
full  of  listless  and  sleepy  lions,  tigers,  leopards,  wild 
cats  ;  bison,  zebras,  camels,  and  deer  roamed  in  the 
inclosures ;  the  eagles  screamed,  and  the  monkeys 
were  in  their  most  talkative  mood.  Photographing 
through  the  bars  was  a  delicate  problem.  The  pelican 


I44 


Captain  Kodak. 


"  Photographing  through  the  bars  was  a  delicate  problem." 

and  other  queer  birds  strutted  and  squeaked  and  flapped 
their  wings  at  the  visitors  and  at  each  other.  The 
children  who  peered  between  the  bars  of  the  cages, 
who  laughed  with  the  parrots,  threw  peanuts  to  the 
monkeys,  or  stared  in  awe  at  the  dromedary,  were  a 
camera  theme  in  themselves ;  and  Mr.  Austin  often 
was  seen  to  be  picturing  or  talking  to  them,  or  slipping 
pennies  into  their  hands  on  the  outskirts  of  the  crowd 
at  the  candy  stall. 

Allan  and  McConnell  were  commenting  on  the 
mountain  goat,  and  McConnell  was  saying,  "  He  has 
a  Van  Dyck  beard,  hasn't  he  ?  "  when  Allan  caught 
sight  of  a  man  over  by  the  zebras,  who  was  studying 
the  finder  of  a  hand  camera,  and  thoughtfully  pucker 
ing  his  mouth  until  his  mustache  looked  more  than 
ever  like  the  bristles  of  a  brush. 

Allan  left  McConnell  and  ran  toward  the  man. 


The   Camera  Club. 


"  Queer  birds." 

"  Hello,  Mr.  Dobbs  !  " 

"  Well,  I'll  be  blowed  !  "  exclaimed  the  man;  "where 
did  you  come  from  ?  " 

"  You're  a  nice  detective,"  laughed  Allan  ;  "  here's 
half  of  Hazenfield,  and  you  haven't  seen  us  !  " 

Dobbs  grinned.  "  I  just  got  here."  Then  he  held 
up  his  camera.  "  I  had  to  get  one,  and  I  sneaked  up 
here  to  try  it.  The  worst  crook  in  the  country  would 
be  perfectly  safe  to-day  —  I  haven't  been  able  to  see 
anything  but  this  finder  since  ten  o'clock.  But  what 
is  the  crowd  doing  here  ?  why,  there's  Major  Mines, 
and  Mr.  Thornton  —  and  Goodstone." 

"This  is  the  club,"  said  Allan. 

"The  club?" 

"  Yes  ;  haven't  you  heard  of  it  ?  —  the  Hazenfield 
Camera  Club." 

"  Why,  yes,"  Dobbs  said.     "  I  did  hear  something 


146  Captain  Kodak. 

about  a  club,  but  I  thought   it  was  only  two  or  three 
of  you  boys." 

"  It  has  grown  since  then." 

"  Evidently— hello,  McConnell !  You're  in  it  too. 
Say,  I  want  to  be  a  member,  if  you'll  take  me." 

"^1  don't  see  why  not,"  laughed  Allan,  "  now  that 
you're  a  photographer." 

"Well,"  said  Dobbs,  moving  the  bristles  of  his 
mustache  again,  "  I'm  not  much  of  a  photographer 
yet.  I've  only  had  courage  to  push  the  button  once. 
I  was  just  going  to  take  the  zebra  —  thought  Sporty 
might  like  to  see  it." 

^  "  What   kind  of  a  camera  is   yours  ? "  asked  Mc 
Connell. 

"Just  a  plain  Detective,  I  suppose,"  interposed 
Allan,  laughing. 

"  It's  a  Dashaway,"  said  Dobbs.  "  I  got  it  through 
a  pard  of  mine  here  in  New  York.  He  says  it's  a 
good  one.  Sporty  and  me'll  have  great  fun  with  it. 
What  do  I  have  to  do  to  get  into  your  club  ?  " 

"That's  easy,"  McConnell  said.  "Three  dollars 
initiation  fee  and  fifty  cents  a  month." 

"  It's  too  cheap,"  said  Dobbs.  "  How  do  you  get 
initiated?  —  in  the  dark,  of  course." 

"  Yes,"  said  Allan  ;  "  you  have  to  sit  on  a  tripod, 
focus  a  camera  over  your  left  shoulder,  and  recite 
the  eiko-hydro  developer  backwards  at  the  same 
time." 

"Or  treat?"  asked  Dobbs. 

"  Or  treat  to  a  bottle  of  developer." 

"I'll  risk  it,"  said  Dobbs,  "if  you'll  let  me  in." 

Mr.  Thornton  came  up  and  recognized  the  detec 
tive.  "  Good  afternoon,  Mr.  Dobbs  ;  looking  for  the 
owner  of  a  camera  ?  " 


The  Camera  Club.  147 

"  No,"  returned  Dobbs;  "  I've  found  him.  This  is 
mine,  and  I  want  to  join  your  club  if  you'll  let  me." 

"  The  more  the  merrier,  Mr.  Dobbs.  You  must 
join  us  to-day,  anyhow.  They  are  not  fitting  out  the 
detective  force  with  cameras,  are  they  ? " 

"  Not  yet.  There  is  no  business  about  this.  I  am 
playing  truant  to-day." 

"I  dare  say  you  deserve  a  holiday,"  said  Mr. 
Thornton. 

"  Well,  I've  been  tied  down  awfully  close  to  that 
Bain  case.  Glad  it's  over."  Dobbs  turned  to  Allan. 
"  You  remember  the  Ghost  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  we  sent  him  up  yesterday  for  fifteen  years." 

"  Fifteen  years  !  "  Allan  recalled  the  white  face  of 
the  man  at  the  police  station.  It  was  the  first  time  that 
any  one  he  had  ever  seen  had  been  sent  to  prison.  Fif 
teen  years  !  It  seemed  like  a  sentence  for  life.  Could 
that  white  face  grow  any  whiter  in  fifteen  years  ? 

"  He  was  a  hard  case,"  said  Mr.  Thornton. 

"  He  was  that,"  said  Dobbs.  "  As  bad  as  they 
make  them.  But  a  queer  fellow  ;  you  never  could 
make  him  out." 

"  What  did  he  say  when  they  sentenced  him  ?  " 
Allan  asked  of  Dobbs. 

"  Not  a  word,  you  couldn't  get  anything  out  of  him. 
Even  ghosts  speak,  they  say.  But  this  one  was  silent 
as  the  grave." 

"  Did  you  take  the  zebra  ? "  broke  in  McConnell. 

"  No,"  said  Dobbs.  "  I  was  just  flirting  with  him. 
But  I  think  I  will  take  him." 

It  ended  by  their  all  following  the  zebra,  who 
looked  very  much  amused,  and  finally  came  over  to 
push  his  nose  through  the  wires. 


148  Captain  Kodak. 

"He  isn't  painted,  either,"  said  McConnell,  scratch 
ing  the  zebra's  back. 

"  Oh,  this  is  a  very  honest  show  !  "  laughed  the  de 
tective. 

It  turned  out  that  Dobbs  knew  a  good  many  of  the 
people  at  the  Zoo,  and  before  the  company  started 
homeward  he  had  made  it  possible  for  the  club  to  do 
pretty  much  as  it  pleased. 

When  the  club  was  ready  to  start,  McConnell  found 
every  one  but  Miss  Illwin.  Owen  had  seen  her  over 
by  the  rhinoceros  tank.  Mr.  Goodstone  and  Mrs. 
Creigh  had  left  her  with  the  deer.  But  no  one  was 
able  to  actually  find  her. 

"  Where  can  she  be?  "  queried  Miss  Manston. 

"  You  don't  suppose  anything  could  have  happened, 
do  you  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Creigh,  her  face  indicating  real 
anxiety. 

"  Well,"  said  Major  Mines,  mischievously,  "  she 
was  taking  the  tiger  at  twenty  feet.  It  seemed  safe 
enough." 

"  The  lady  or  the  tiger,"  muttered  Mr.  Thornton. 

"  I  really  think,"  said  Mr.  Goodstone,  solemnly, 
"  that  some  of  us  ought  to  look  up  the  rhinoceros 
part  of  the  story." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  "  asked  Miss  Manston,  half  in 
clined  to  think  this  was  no  joke.  She  was  so  afraid 
of  rhinoceroses  herself.  "Horrors!  Suppose  she  fell 
in!" 

"  Don't  !  "  protested  Mrs.  Creigh  with  a  shiver. 

McConnell  and  Allan  went  out  as  a  scouting  party, 
with  the  result  that  Miss  Illwin  was  found  sitting  on  a 
bench  by  the  lake,  her  camera  carrying  case  beside 
her.  She  was  reading  a  book.  As  he  came  up  Allan 
noticed  that  she  was  without  her  hat. 


The  Camera  Club.  149 

"  You  know,"  she  said,  when  she  saw  Allan,  "  my 
hat  blew  into  the  water  when  I  was  setting  up  just 
now.  Wasn't  it  annoying  ?  I  was  afraid  I  should 
have  to  wait  until  it  drifted  over,  but  that  boy  with  the 
little  yacht  aimed  his  boat  so  nicely  that  it  caught  the 
hat  not  far  from  the  shore  and  now  it  is  pushing  it 
over.  See  !  "  and  Miss  Illwin  pointed  toward  the 
middle  of  the  pond.  "  Unfortunately  the  wind  has 
shifted  once  or  twice,  and  the  yacht  has  been  tacking 
about  in  a  most  provoking  way.  But  there  is  nothing 
but  to  be  patient." 

"  We  are  all  ready  to  go,"  said  Allan. 

"  Are  you  ?  Then  I  suppose  you'll  have  to  leave 
me  —  unless  this  boat  stops  tacking." 

"  There  it  comes  ! "  yelled  the  boys  who  owned  the 
boat. 

The  yacht  was  making  straight  for  the  shore.  But 
when  it  had  come  within  about  fifteen  feet  of  the  bank, 
the  band  of  the  hat  became  loosened  from  the  bow, 
and  the  yacht  came  jauntily  into  port,  leaving  the  hat 
in  its  wake. 

"  Dear  me  !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Illwin.  "  How  pro 
voking." 

"The  breeze  is  carrying  it,  anyway,"  said  McCon- 
nell. 

But  the  hat  drifted  very  slowly,  and  finally  stopped 
altogether,  anchored  by  a  water-lily. 

"  If  you  will  let  me  have  your  tripod,  Miss  Illwin," 
said  Allan,  "  I  think  I  can  reach  it  with  that. 

A  single  leg  of  the  tripod  proved  insufficient,  but, 
by  hitching  two  of  them  to  the  top  piece,  Allan  man 
aged  to  reach  the  vagrant  hat. 

"  Is  it  spoiled  ?  "  asked  McConnell. 

Miss  Illwin  shook  the  bedraggled  hat.     "  I'm  afraid 


if0  Captain   Kodak. 

it  is,"  she  said,  adjusting  it  with  a  wince,  and  pushing 
through  the  pins.  "  What  a  providence  that  I  didn't 
wear  the  one  with  the  feather  !  " 

The  club  appeared  much  relieved  to  see   Miss  Ill- 


win. 


Everybody  had  a  story  about  the  loss  of  a  hat,  but 
no  one  claimed  to  have  recovered  one  under  such  pic 
turesque  conditions. 

"  Well,"  said  the  Major,  as  they  walked  toward  the 
:<  L"  station,  "  I'll  wager  none  of  you  ever  had  your 
hat  blow  into  the  crater  of  a  volcano." 

"  Gracious  !  Suppose  you  had  gone  with  it !  "  cried 
Miss  Manston. 

"Couldn't  you  get  it  with  a  pole,  or  a  hook  and 
line  ?  "  asked  McConneil. 

"No,  I  couldn't,"  grunted  the  Major.  "  Never  saw 
the  crater  of  Vesuvius,  did  you  ?  " 

"  No,"  admitted  McConneil. 

"  Well,  it  isn't  good  fishing  there." 

"  Fancy  !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Creigh. 

"  And  I  had  to  go  back  bareheaded  —  I  refused  a 
crazy  bonnet  that  one  of  the  guides  found  for  me  — 
and  those  people  at  the  hotel  said,  c  These  Americans 
are  so  funny  !  ' 

"  Where  shall  the  club  go  next !  "  some  one  asked. 

"  Better  wait  until  you  find  out  what  sins  you  com 
mitted  to-day,"  said  Mr.  Thornton. 


XI. 


AT    CONEY    ISLAND. 


f  I  AHE    scene    at   the 
JL      club     that    night 
was  a   busy   one. 

Mrs.  Creigh  and  Mr. 
Thornton  were  first  to 
begin  developing,  and 
several  other  members 
who  did  not  have  dark 
rooms  at  home  came 
around  and  waited  their 
turn. 

Dr.  Hartel  had  ad 
vised  Allan  not  to  do 
any  developing  under 
any  circumstances,  but 
to  wait, until  the  following  day,  when  everything  was 
quiet.  Allan  thought  that  anyway  it  was  but  fair  for 
him,  living  so  near,  to  make  use  of  the  dark  room  at 
times  when  there  was  not  a  pressure  of  other  members. 
It  was  the  next  morning  that  Allan  and  McCon- 
nell  developed  their  plates  and  films.  Allan  had  two 
wrongly  focussed  pictures,  and  McConnell  had  made 
a  double  that  perched  a  goat  on  the  back  of  a  drome 
dary.  But  most  of  the  pictures  were  good,  and  gave 
both  boys  a  great  deal  of  delight. 


152  Captain  Kodak. 

"  Wait  till  Bill  sees  this  !  "  exclaimed  McConnell, 
holding  up  his  picture  of  the  lion  cage. 

Allan  highly  prized  a  picture  of  the  eagles,  and  an 
other  of  the  club  emerging  from  one  of  the  arches 
under  the  drive. 

"  Do  you  know,"  said  Allan,  "  the  club  won't  be 
taking  another  outing  for  a  couple  of  weeks.  I  wish 
we  could  go  to  Coney  Island  before  that.  If  we  wait 
two  weeks  they  might  not  want  to  go  there,  and  I'm 
afraid  if  the  weather  gets  cooler  the  s'eason  will  be  over 
in  a  week." 

"  What  do  we  care  for  the  season?  "  asked  McCon 
nell. 

"  The  season  doesn't  make  any  difference  to  the 
ocean,  —  except  that  it's  the  clearer,  I  suppose,  when 
so  many  people  don't  wash  in  it ;  but  it  makes  a  great 
deal  of  difference  at  the  beach.  It's  the  people  I  care 
for,  the  people  and  all  the  things  they  have  there  to 
show  the  people." 

"  That's  so,"  said  McConnell. 

"  I  wonder  if  Owen  would  go  ?  " 

"Of  course  he  would.  I  guess  my  mother  would 
let  me  go  with  you." 

"  Suppose  we  go  on  Wednesday.  School  begins  next 
week." 

"  How  much  would  it  cost  ?  "  asked  McConnell. 

Allan  figured  the  thing  out  on  the  back  of  a  plate- 
box.  "  If  we  carry  part  of  our  lunch  with  us  it  ought 
to  cost  about  seventy  cents  for  each  of  us." 

"  And  we  could  get  some  great  things  down  there," 
commented  McConnell.  "  We  could  shoot  from  the 
Ferris  wheel." 

"  Yes,  and  we  could  shoot  the  chutes." 

McConnell  chuckled.     "  I'd  like  to  go." 


At  Coney   Island.  153 

Owen  liked  the  idea.  "  I've  been  wanting  to  go 
down  all  summer.  And  what  do  you  say  to  this  ? 
There  is  a  freight-boat  that  stops  at  Hewlett's  Dock 
every  morning  about  seven  and  comes  back  every 
night.  I  know  one  of  the  men  on  it,  and  I  think  we 
could  get  him  to  take  us  down  to  Twenty-something 
Street  and  back.  That  would  only  leave  us  the  Coney 
Island  boat  to  pay  for." 

"  Good  !  "  cried  Allan. 

Owen's  plan  was  carried  out.  Wednesday  morning 
opened  cloudy,  and  the  boys  were  not  in  very  high 
spirits  when  they  reached  the  rendezvous  at  Howlett's 
Dock. 

"Is  there  any  use  going  when  it's  so  cloudy?" 
asked  Owen. 

McConnell  was  certain  it  would  clear. 

A  man  was  fishing  from  the  end  of  the  dock.  Allan 
went  over  and  asked  him  if  he  thought  it  was  going 
to  rain. 

"  Rain  before  seven,  clear  before  eleven,"  said  the 
man,  without  looking  up. 

"  But  it  isn't  raining,"  chimed  in  McConnell. 

"  Yes,  it  is,"  said  the  man,  without  moving ;  and 
then  Allan  felt  a  drop  on  his  hand. 

"  What  a  strange  man,"  said  McConnell,  as  they 
moved  away. 

"  When  they  are  queer  like  that  they  always  know 
about  the  weather,"  said  Allan. 

"  What  did  he  say  ?  "  asked  Owen. 

"  That  it  would  clear  before  eleven." 

"  Then  that's  all  we  want.  We  won't  get  to  Coney 
Island  much  before  twelve." 

The  fisherman  was  right.  The  light  drizzle  fell 
until  after  nine.  At  ten  the  clouds  began  to  lift;  and 


1 54  Captain  Kodak. 

while   they  were   on   their  way  down  the  bay   on  the 
Coney  Island  boat,  the  sun  came  forth  cheerily. 

Allan    celebrated    the   arrival    of   the    sunlight  by 

photographing  the  group  of  Italian  musicians  on  the 


"The  group  of  Italian  musicians." 

upper  deck,  and  McConnell  blazed  away  with  the 
Wizard  at  an  ocean  steamer  that  had  just  come  over 
the  bar. 

An  old  gentleman  in  a  bicycle  suit  who  sat  smoking 
at  the  forward  rail,  after  watching  the  three  boys  with 
cameras,  fell  to  talking  with  them,  and  soon  had  ex 
amined  all  three  apparatuses  in  a  way  that  indicated 
some  knowledge  of  photography. 

"  These  are  all  very  convenient,"  he  said.  "  They 
make  me  want  to  take  up  photography  again." 


At   Coney   Island.  155 

"  Did  you  once  have  a  camera  ?  "  asked  Allan. 

"  Yes,  when  I  was  younger  I  had  a  wet-plate  outfit. 
I  don't  suppose  you  know  what  that  was  ?  " 

The  boys  shook  their  heads. 

"  Well,  in  the  wet-plate  days,  before  there  were  any 
dry  plates  such  as  you  use,  and  very  long  before  there 
were  any  films,"  the  old  gentleman  added,  indicating 
Allan's  Kodak, "  we  had  to  coat  and  sensitize  our  own 
plates  before  exposing  them.  We  had  to  do  this 
where  we  made  the  picture,  or  very  near  it,  for  we  had 
to  expose  the  plate  while  the  coating  was  still  some 
what  moist." 

"  It  must  have  been  a  lot  of  trouble,"  said  McCon- 
nell. 

"  It  was  ;  but  I  enjoyed  it." 

"  Then  you  had  to  develop  them  right  away,  too  ?  " 
suggested  Allan. 

"Yes,  we  had  to  do  the  whole  thing  —  sensitize, 
expose,  and  develop  —  at  the  one  time.  Ah  !"  con 
tinued  the  old  gentleman,  slapping  his  knee,  "  but  they 
made  beautiful  plates  !  More  beautiful  than  your  new 
fangled  plates  ! " 

They  were  now  .nearing  the  iron  pier  at  Coney 
Island. 

"  Boys,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  "  what  are  you 
going  to  do  to-day  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  that  we  are  quijte  sure,"  laughed 
Allan.  "  We  have  carried  our  cameras  down  to  shoot 
at  the  island — anything  that  seems  interesting." 

"  I  tell  you  what  I  wish,"  continued  the  old  gentle 
man.  "  I  wish  you  would  go  up  in  the  Ferris  wheel 
with  me." 

"  Thank  you,"  replied  Allan,  "  we  did  want  to  go 
up  in  the  wheel." 


Captain  Kodak. 

Owen  and  McConnell  indicated  their  willingness. 

"  I've  been  around  the  world  since  I  saw  Coney 
Island  before,"  the  old  gentleman  went  on,  "  and  I 
have  run  down  to  see  how  much  it  has  changed.  I 
suppose  it  has  changed  a  good  deal.  I  have  too." 
The  old  gentleman  smoked  in  silence  until  it  was  time 
for  them  to  go  ashore. 

The  beach  was  not  so  crowded  as  on  a  Saturday, 
but  there  were  animated  scenes  on  every  hand.  A 
great  chorus  of  sounds  went  up  from  the  West  End  — 
the  shouts  of  hawkers  and  doorkeepers  ;  the  blare  of  a 
dozen  merry-go-round  organs ;  the  whir  and  clatter 
of  the  switch-back  railways  ;  the  hum  of  thousands  of 
voices  ;  the  screams  of  children  at  the  water's  edge, 
mingling  with  the  swish  and  roar  of  the  surf. 

"  Just  the  same  !  "  said  the  old  gentleman,  smiling ; 
"  only  more  so  !  " 

The  old  gentleman  led  the  way  to  the  largest  of  the 
wheels  that  swung  its  great  spokes  into  the  air.  Allan 
took  a  seat  with  the  old  gentleman  in  one  car,  while 


"The  screams  of  children  at  the  water's  edge." 


At   Coney   Island. 


'57 


"The  largest  of  the  wheels." 

Owen  and  McConnell  stepped  into  another,  when  the 
engineer  had  swung  it  into  position. 

"  I  suppose  they  distribute  us  this  way  to  balance 
it,"  said  Owen.  The  wheel  now  began  to  revolve 
slowly. 

"  My  name  is  Prenwood,"  said  the  old  gentleman. 
"  What  is  yours  ?  " 

"  H artel,"  said  Allan.  He  already  had  said  that 
the  boys  were  from  Hazenfield. 

As  their  car  swung  over  the  top  of  the  wheel  Mr. 
Prenwood  exclaimed,  "  Yes,  the  same  old  place  !  "  and 
was  silent  again  for  the  whole  circuit  of  the  wheel. 

O 

Allan  found  it  harder  than  he  expected  to  accomplish 


158  Captain   Kodak. 

a  sighting  of  his  camera.  There  was  something  curi 
ously  confusing  in  the  constantly  changing  situation  of 
the  car.  Looking  for  the  other  boys  was  also  a  diffi 
cult  matter.  Sometimes  they  were  below  him,  some 
times  above.  McConnell  was  making  persistent 
efforts  to  bring  his  Wizard  to  bear  on  the  beach 
without  having  the  rim  or  spokes  of  the  wheel  in 
the  way.  Allan  could  hear  him  laughing,  and  Owen 
urging  him  not  to  lean  over  so  far  unless  he  wished  to 
fall  out. 

"  Hartel,"  said  Mr.  Prenwood,  "I  used  to  come 
down  here  with  my  little  nephew.  He  was  too  young 
to  see  any  of  the  vulgarity.  He  just  enjoyed  the  life 
and  stir,  the  bustle  of  the  place,  just  as  you  boys  do. 
He  called  these  wheels  —  they  were  little  then  —  the 
big  pin  wheels ;  and  those  were  the  '  slam-bang  rail 
roads.'  It  was  fun  to  watch  him  !  While  I  was  away 
in  the  Mediterranean  they  buried  him."  Mr.  Pren 
wood  sat  very  quietly  for  a  moment.  "  They  tell  me 
that  last  summer  he  used  to  say  he  wished  Uncle 
Amos  would  come  home,  and  take  him  to  Coney 
Island.  No  one  else  would  take  him,  it  seems.  And 
now  no  one  can  take  him.  Isn't  it  a  shame,  Hartel, 
that  I  couldn't  have  been  here  ? " 

"  How  old  was  he  ? "  asked  Allan,  who  could  see 
tears  in  Mr.  Prenwood's  eyes. 

"  Only  six,"  said  the  old  gentleman.  "  What  a 
little  man  he  was  !  You  should  have  seen  us  wading 
on  the  beach,  and  how  he  used  to  laugh  when  I  rolled 
up  my  trousers  !  And  he  seemed  to  know  just  how 
funny  it  was  when  I  sat  on  a  horse  beside  him  in  the 
merry-go-round.  But  we  are  missing  the  view  alto 
gether.  How  gay  the  sun  makes  everything  look! 
What  a  good  thing  it  is  the  sun  never  gets  sad !  If 


At   Coney   Island.  159 

the  clouds  will  only  let  him  shine,  he's  always  as  jolly 
as  ever." 

The  sun  shone  on  the  big,  creaking  wheel.  Mr. 
Prenwood  waved  his  hand  to  Owen  and  McConnell. 
A  young  girl  who  was  sitting  beside  a  voung  man  in 

J  £3     C?  O  J  O 

the  car  at  the  other  side  of  the  wheel  seemed  to  think 
the  salute  was  intended  for  her,  and  giggled. 

*  o  oo 

'  Why  not  take  the  wheel,  with  the  couple  at  the 
other  end  ?  "  laughed  Mr.  Prenwood.  * 

Allan  already  was  preparing  to  do  this.  The  spokes 
and  cross-bars  made  a  curious  cobweb  of  lines  in  the 
finder,  a  cobweb  that  twisted  like  a  kaleidoscope. 

When  they  all  had  stepped  out  of  the  wheel  again 
Mr.  Prenwood  said :  "  Now,  boys,  I'm  not  going  to 
bother  you  with  my  company  much  longer.  You  have 
things  that  you  want  to  do  on  your  own  account.  But 
I  would  like  very  much  if  you  would  go  with  me  and 
have  lunch.  When  I  was  a  boy  I  got  frightfully  hun 
gry  at  this  time  of  day,  and  I  haven't  altogether  recov 
ered  from  the  habit  yet." 

Owen  thanked  Mr.  Prenwood,  but  said  they  had 
some  lunch  with  them. 

"Yes,  I  know,"  laughed  Mr.  Prenwood,  "you  have 
some  dry  lunch.  But  that  isn't  enough.  Oh,  I  know  ! 
Come  along.  We'll  eat  that  —  and  something  else 
with  it !  Some  oysters,  for  instance,  or  chowder,  or 
sweet  corn,  or  watermelon.  And  how  about  butter 
milk  and  pie  and  ice-cream  ?  Hey  ?  " 

And  they  all  laughed  together  as  they  followed  Mr. 
Prenwood  up  the  broad  walk. 

"  I  tell  you,"  said  Mr.  Prenwood,  laughing  again, 
as  they  sat  at  a  table  in  the  hotel  dining-room,  "  those 
dry  lunches  are  well  enough  to  start  in  with.  But  to 
finish  up  on  !  —  Waiter !  ask  these  boys  what  they 


160  Captain  Kodak. 

wish,  —  and  boys!  see  that  you  wish  everything  nice 
on  the  bill !  " 

While  they  were  eating  their  unpacked  lunch  and 
many  good  things  brought  by  the  waiter,  Mr.  Pren 
wood  told  them  some  of  his  adventures  in  the  days 
of  wet-plate  photography.  "  You  boys  must  come 
over  and  visit  me  sometime.  I  haven't  told  you  yet 
that  I  live  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  —  at  Stony- 
shore.  I've  got  dogs,  horses,  boats,  —  everything  but 
boys.  I've  half  a  mind  to  steal  one  of  you  !  " 

When  they  were  shaking  hands  and  saying  good- 
by  to  Mr.  Prenwood,  he  told  them  not  to  forget  to 
come  and  see  him,  and  he  saw  in  their  faces  that  they 
were  very  glad  they  had  met  him. 

"  Wasn't  he  nice  ! "  exclaimed  McConnell,  when 
they  had  walked  away. 

"  I  think  we  ought  to  send  him  over  some  prints," 
said  Allan. 

"  I  believe  I  will,"  said  Owen,  "  if  I  get  anything 
good." 

Later  in  the  day  they  saw  Mr.  Prenwood  sitting 
on  a  bench,  smoking,  near  one  of  the  merry-go- 
rounds. 

Immediately  after  their  luncheon  the  boys  went 
down  on  the  beach  and  walked  the  whole  length  from 
Brighton  to  the  far  West  End.  The  strollers,  the 
children  wading  in  the  foam,  the  sleeping  figures  in 
the  sand ;  the  chair  men  wrangling  over  the  price  of 
seats ;  the  chowder  boats  and  ring-toss  tents ;  the 
bathing-houses,  and  screaming  bathers  in  the  surf; 
the  groups  at  the  photograph  galleries,  —  these  and  a 
score  of  other  sights  gave  the  boys  amusement  and  an 
embarrassment  of  themes  for  their  cameras. 

Then  they  went  over  to  the  chutes   and  found  it 


At   Coney   Island. 


161 


"Wading  in  the  foam." 

more  exciting  to  try  and  photograph  the  flying  boat 
than  they  had  found  it  to  ride  in  one.  Allan  wished 
to  catch  the  boat  just  as  it  left  the  incline  and  struck 
the  water.  When  he  had  developed  his  plate  he  found 
that  the  spray  hid  the  boat. 

They  walked  through  Coney  Island's  Bowery,  but 
it  did  not  please  them.  They  liked  the  beach  better. 
There  was  much  fun  walking  in  the  sand.  The  three 
boys  for  a  while  played  quoits  with  clam-shells.,.  Far 
up  at  the  West  End  two  young  men  were  having  a 
wrestling  match  and  insisted  upon  being  photographed 
while  they  were  at  it. 

"  Our  style  of  wrestling  is  not  set  down  in  the 
books,"  said  one  of  the  young  men.  But  they  had 
great  fun  at  it ;  and  all  hands  had  a  hundred  yard 
dash  afterward.  The  taller  wrestler  came  in  first  and 
Allan  second. 

The  winner  afterward  said  to  Allan,  "  I'd  like  to 


162 


Captain   Kodak. 


"A  wrestling  match." 

have  a  copy  of  that  wrestling  picture,  and  if  you'll 
promise  to  send  me  one  I'll  give  you  this  pass  to 
Buffalo  Bill." 

"But  perhaps  it  won't  be  good — I  mean  the 
picture." 

"  Then  you're  so  much  ahead.  I'll  take  my 
chances."  And  he  gave  Allan  his  name  and  address. 

The  pass  was  for  two.  "  Isn't  he  coming  to 
Granger  Fields  next  week  ? "  asked  Allan. 

"  Yes.  If  you  live  near  there,  that's  the  place  to 
see  him.  And  take  your  camera,  too.  Say ;  wait  a 
minute.  Would  you  like  to  do  the  Indians  ?  Well, 
you  ask  for  Mr.  Twink  —  he'll  fix  it  so's  you  can 
photograph  the  Indians.  Tell  him  I  sent  you.  He's 
my  cousin.  I  know  the  whole  crowd  pretty  well." 


At   Coney   Island. 


163 


"The  groups  at  the  photograph  galleries." 

"  I'll  do  the  best  I  can  with  the  picture,"  said 
Allan. 

"  And  I'll  take  what  I  get  and  be  thankful,"  laughed 
the  young  man. 

This  seemed  decidedly  like  a  stroke  of  luck  to 
Allan,  not  so  much  for  the  value  of  the  pass  as  for 
the  chance  to  get  special  privileges  with  his  camera  — 
with  their  cameras,  for  undoubtedly  Mr.  Twink  would 
look  with  a  friendly  eye  on  any  party  that  might  come 
with  his  cousin's  name. 

"  Time  for  the  boat !  "  cried  Owen. 

The  day  had  slid  away  so  quickly  and  they  had 
given  so  little  thought  to  time  that  there  was  not  a 
moment  to  be  lost  if  they  were  to  catch  the  4.30  boat. 

The  two  started  off  for  the  pier  on  a  run,  until  the 
little  brown  woman  in  the  Turkish  bazaar  looked  up 
from  her  beads  to  see  whether  any  new  and  special 


164 


Captain  Kodak. 


excitement  had  befallen  her  street.  A  short  cut  across 
the  sand  proved  to  be  heavy  travelling,  and  the  boat's 
whistle  sounded  warningly  in  their  ears.  All  three 
were  much  in  need  of  breath  when  they  reached  the 
pier.  They  caught  the  boat.  But  it  was  a  narrow 
escape. 


XII. 
BIG   WOLF    AND    COMPANY. 


B 


UFFALO  BILL  was  to 

be  at  Granger  Fields  for 
three  days.  Great  crowds 
came  to  see  the  Indians,  and 
the  Oriental  acrobats,  and  the 
soldiers  of  many  nations,  and 
the  "  rough  riders  of  the 
world."  On  the  third  day, 
half  an  hour  before  the  time 
for  the  beginning  of  the  per 
formance,  Allan  and  McCon- 
nell  arrived  at  the  gate. 

Up  to  the  last  moment  it 
was  expected  that  Owen  would 
join  them.  But  Owen  had 
been  unable  to  come  for  some  reason,  and  the  two 
boys  had  walked  the  three  miles  alone.  The  pass 
carried  them  past  the  ticket  man  and  admitted  them 
to  the  grand  stand.  But  before  taking  seats  there, 
the  boys  started  out  to  find  Mr.  Twink.  A  sleek 
little  young  man,  with  long  hair  and  a  big  sombrero, 
who  looked  like  a  candy  cowboy,  told  them  where 
they  would  probably  find  Mr.  Twink. 

Mr.  Twink,  however,  was  very  hard  to  find.     Each 
person  they  asked  said  he  was   in   a   different  place. 

165 


1 66  Captain  Kodak. 

When  they  came  down  by  the  Indian  tents,  they  at 
last  found  Mr.  Twink.  He  was  talking  to  an  Indian, 
—  an  Indian  decked  out  in  gaudy  red  and  yellow,  and 
with  many  feathers  dangling  down  his  back. 

When  they  at  last  got  his  attention,  Mr.  Twink 
told  the  boys  that  everything  was  in  a  hurry  just  then, 
that  the  Indians  were  getting  ready  for  the  grand 
entree  ;  but  that  if  they  would  come  around  after  the 
show,  he  would  give  them  a  chance  to  photograph  all 
they  wanted  to. 

"  Hold  on  a  minute  ! "  he  called  after  them,  as  they 
turned  away.  "  We  are  going  to  strike  camp  this 
afternoon.  You  had  better  come  around  as  soon  as 
the  acrobats  begin.  You  can  get  back  in  time  to  see 
the  cowboy  and  Indian  fight." 

"  Where  shall  we  find  you  ?  "  asked  Allan. 

"  Right  here,"  said  Mr.  Twink.  "  Don't  forget  — 
as  soon  as  the  acrobats  begin." 

Allan  promised  to  be  prompt. 

"  But  I  hate  to  miss  the  acrobats,"  said  McConnell, 
regretfully. 

"  We  can  see  acrobats  any  time,"  protested  Allan, 
"and  we  may  never  get  a  chance  to  photograph  Ind 
ians  —  close  up  —  again." 

They  both  photographed  the  grand  entree  from  their 
seats  in  the  grand  stand,  though  the  figures  of  the  sol 
diers  and  cowboys  and  Indians  and  Arabs  looked 
very  small  at  that  distance,  and  the  heads  of  the  peo 
ple  in  the  spectators'  seats  made  a  rather  conspicuous 
foreground.  They  caught  the  bucking  broncho  while 
two  of  the  cowboys  were  trying  to  master  him. 

When  the  Arab  acrobats  came  out,  the  boys  slipped 
out  of  their  seats  and  went  around  to  look  for  Mr. 
Twink.  He  was  where  he  had  said  he  would  be. 


Big  Wolf  and  Company.  167 

"  Now,  what  do  you  want  to  do  ? "  he  demanded,  so 
abruptly  that  Allan  was  a  little  at  a  loss  what  to  say. 

"  We  should  like  to  photograph  some  of  the 
Indians,"  said  Allan,  finally. 

"  Well,  here's  Walking  Dog,  photograph  him." 
And  Twink  caught  a  passing  Indian  by  the  arm. 

Walking  Dog  was  very  solemn  in  appearance,  and 
when  Twink  said  something  to  him  in  a  language  the 
boys  could  not  understand  —  it  was  the  first  Indian  talk 
Allan  or  McConnell  ever  had  heard  —  Walking  Dog 
looked  at  the  boys  and  at  their  camera  without  a  smile. 

Allan  was  sure  that  Walking  Dog  resented  the 
proposition  to  be  photographed,  and  felt  sorry  he  had 
mentioned  it.  The  Indian  looked  so  savage  in  his 
paint. 

"  He  says  all  right,"  remarked  Twink. 

Now,  Allan  was  sure  Walking  Dog  had  not  uttered 
a  sound,  and  he  wondered  very  much  what  language 
the  Indian  had  used  that  Twink  should  feel  so  sure. 

"  How  about  taking  him  over  here  ?  "  said  Twink, 
pointing  to  a  spot  where  a  stretch  of  canvas  would 
form  a  background. 

Walking  Dog  seemed  to  understand  at  once,  and, 

O  • 

striding  across,  he  stood  with  his  back  against  the  can 
vas,  his  hands  on  his  rifle,  and  in  a  position  such  as 
soldiers  take  at  "  parade  rest." 

Walking  Dog  refused  to  look  pleasant  while  Allan 
and  McConnell  got  their  camera  ready.  Or  perhaps 
it  was  his  natural  look  with  the  ugly  war-paint  added. 

"  Get  it  ?  "  asked  Twink,  when  he  heard  the  camera 
click. 

"  Oh,  wait  a  minute  !  "  cried  McConnell.  He  had 
forgotten  the  slide  of  his  plate-holder.  Allan  rolled 
his  cartridge  another  number,  and  took  one  more  to 


i68 


Captain  Kodak. 


keep   McConnell  company.      Walking  Dog  remained 
as  still  as  a  soldier's  monument  while  this  was  going  onr 

"  I  wish  you  would 
tell  him  we  are  much 
obliged,"  said  Allan 
to  Twink. 

"  Oh,  he  knows 
that,"  said  Twink ; 
but  he  spoke  to  the 
Indian  as  he  was  mov 
ing  away,  and  Walk 
ing  Dog  shook  hands 
with  both  boys,  stiffly 
and  silently,  then 
walked  majestically 
away. 

Twink  now  left  them 
for  a  moment  and 
spoke  to  another  Ind 
ian,  a  much  hand 
somer  and  more  gor 
geous  Indian,  though 
one  not  less  solemn 
than  Walking  Dog. 
They  came  back  to 
gether. 

"This  is  Big  Wolf," 
said  Twink.  "  You 
can  take  him,  too." 

"Ugh!"    said    Big 

Wolf,  and  he  sat  down  near  by,  looking  straight  be 
fore  him. 

"  Don't  they  like  to  do  this  ?  "  asked   McConnell. 
He   couldn't  get   it   out  of  his   head  that   Big  Wolf 


"Walking  Dog  refused  to  look 
pleasant." 


Big  Wolf  and   Company.  169 

was  likely  to  rebel  at  any  moment  and  scalp  them 
both. 

"  Oh,  they  are  not  so  bad  as  they  look,"  said  Twink, 
smiling  for  the  first  time.  "  They  are  quite  sociable 
when  you  come  to  know  them." 

"  Is' Big  Wolf  a  chief?"  asked  Allan. 

"  Or  just  — just  a  plain  Indian  ?  "  added  McConnell. 
It  seemed  incredible  to  both  boys  that  Big  Wolf  could 
be  less  than  a  very  important  personage. 

Twink  waved  his  hand.  "  Big  Wolf  heap  big 
chief!  " 

"  Ugh  !  "  said  Big  Wolf. 

"  See  —  he  admits  it  himself,"  said  Twink. 

The  boys  did  not  dare  to  smile.  It  would  have 
seemed  very  inappropriate  with  Big  Wolf  sitting  there 
so  solemnly. 

When  the  pictures  had  been  taken  the  Indian  arose 
and  left  them,  giving  a  quick  nod  to  Allan  as  he  went 
by. 

"  Now,"  said  Twink,  "  if  you  hurry  I  think  I  can 
get  up  a  group  for  you.  Come  over  here." 

The  boys  followed  their  guide  across  the  field  to 
where  several  of  the  Indian  tents  were  grouped.  On 
their  way  over  Twink  said,  "  There's  Buffalo  Bill." 

Colonel  Cody  was  seated  near  a  screen  of  canvas  at 
a  point  where  he  could  watch  the  arena  through  a  hole 
that  had  been  cut  for  the  purpose.  The  boys  had  no 
time  to  look  closely  at  the  famous  plainsman,  for  Twink 
was  hurrying  them  over  to  the  tents.  Twink  spoke  to 
several  of  the  Indians,  and  presently,  before  one  of  the 
tents,  a  line  of  Indians  was  formed,  a  squaw  and  baby 
atone  end  of  the  line.  These  Indians  had  shields  and 
other  weapons,  and  stood  bolt  upright  in  all  their  gay 
colors,  and  waited  without  sign  or  sound  while  Allan 


17°  Captain  Kodak. 

and    McConnell    each    made    two    shots    with    their 
cameras. 

*c  If  you  come  back  here  after  the  show,"  said  Twink, 
"you  can  see  them  striking  these  tents.  Meanwhile, 
make  yourselves  at  home.  Here  is  the  famous  old 


"The  Deadwood  Stage-coach." 

Deadwood  Stage-coach.     Would  you  like  to  ride  in  it 
to-day  ? " 

"  Oh,  yes  !  "  answered  McConnell. 

"  Well,  when  the  coach  draws  up  at  the  grand  stand 

you  boys  just  climb  down  and  get  in.     I  will  speak  to 
i  i         •   tt  * 

them  about  it. 

"  Will    anybody   take    us    down  ? "  asked  Allan,  a 
little  uncertain  about  the  programme. 


Big  Wolf  and   Company.  173 

"  No.  You  just  get  down  yourself.  The  men  in 
the  coach  will  be  watching  for  you." 

They  stood  looking  at  the  battered  old  stage-coach 
after  Twink  had  left  them,  and  a  man  with  a  coat  on 
his  arm  told  them  that  one  day,  in  England,  -when  the 
show  was  over  there,  a  king  and  four  princes  had  ridden 
on  it,  Buffalo  Bill  himself  driving. 

This  nearly  took  McConnell's  breath  away. 

"  Do  you  know  where  the  king  sat  ?  "  asked  Mc- 
Connell. 

"  I  dunno,"  said  the  man.  "  I  guess  up  beside  Buf 
falo  Bill." 

"  Where  the  princes  sat  ought  to  be  good  enough 
for  us,"  laughed  Allan.  "  Come,"  he  added,  "  let  us 
go  back  to  the  show,"  and  they  hurried  around  to  the 
grand  stand  in  time  to  see  the  Mexican  throwing  the 
lasso. 

"  I  don't  believe  we  thanked  Mr.  Twink,"  said 
Allan. 

"  Won't  we  see  him  again  ?  "  asked  McConnell. 

"  That's  so.  We  can  see  him  before  we  leave.  I 
feel  as  if  he  had  been  very  good  to  us." 

"  Indeed  he  has." 

"  We  never  could  have  seen  so  much  and  got  those 

O 

Indians  without  him." 

"  Do  you  suppose  he  would  care  for  a  picture  of 
Big  Wolf?" 

"  I  don't  think  he  would." 

"  We  might  ask  him." 

D 

"  I  almost  think  we  had  better  not  bother  him 
again." 

"  Except  to  thank  him,  you  mean  ? " 

"  Except  to  thank  him,  yes." 

Presently,  the  man  with  the  wonderful  voice,  who 


Captain   Kodak. 


"The  coach  itself,  drawn  by  four  horses." 

made  the  announcements,  told  how  the  great  Dead- 
wood  stage-coach  would  be  attacked  by  the  Indians, 
and  how  it  would  be  rescued  by  a  company  of  cow 
boys  under  the  leadership  of  Buffalo  Bill. 

The  coach  itself,  drawn  by  four  horses,  now  came 
rolling  around  the  arena. 

"  Are  you  going  ? "  asked  McConnell,  his  eyes 
twitching  with  excitement. 

"  Of  course,"  replied  Allan  ;  but  he  could  not  have 
concealed  his  nervousness. 

As  the  coach  drew  nearer  the  grand  stand  the  boys 
rose  and  clambered  down  the  steps  to  the  main  en 
trance  ;  and,  when  the  coach  stopped,  they  walked 
falteringly  forward,  expecting  the  man  at  the  bars  to 
ask  them  what  they  wanted  anyway. 

But  the  man  at  the  bars,  on  a  signal  from  the  coach, 
made  way  for  them,  and  the  old  coach  door  opened. 
They  now  saw  that  there  were  two  men  on  the  front 
inside  seat,  and,  with  several  thousand  people  watching 
them,  the  boys  climbed  in  and  sat  down  on  the  back 


Big  Wolf  and   Company.  175 

seat,  the  door  closed,  and  the  coach  started  forward 
with  a  jolt. 

The  whip  cracked  and  soon  came  the  louder  crack 
of  a  rifle,  then  a  clatter  of  shots,  and  the  two  men 
in  the  coach,  each  with  a  rifle,  began  blazing  away 
through  the  window  at  the  yelling  band  of  Indians 
in  pursuit.  It  was  all  so  real,  the  Indians  looked  so 
ferocious,  the  smoke  and  flame  from  the  rifles  was  so 
thrilling  and  threatening,  that  Allan  and  McConnell 
found  themselves  shrinking  in  expectation  of  actual 
bullets. 

In  the  midst  of  the  hubbub  Allan  saw  through  the 

O 

window,  almost  at  his  elbow,  the  now  distorted  face 
of  Big  Wolf,  screaming  a  most  frightful  note,  and 
apparently  on  the  point  at  last  of  getting  even  with  his 
photographic  tormentors. 

Then  came  a  new  and  louder  clatter,  with  fresh  yells. 
The  cowboys  had  come,  and,  after  a  wild  fusillade,  the 
Indians  fled,  the  smoke  cleared  away,  and  the  old  coach 
lumbered  back  to  the  grand  stand,  with  Allan  and 
McConnell  staring,  half-dazed,  at  the  two  men  on  the 
front  seat. 

"  How  did  you  like  it  ?  "  asked  one  of  the  men,  as 
he  swung  open  the  door. 

"  It  was  great  !  "  cried  Allan. 

McConnell  could  hardly  find  his  voice.  "  I  guess 
it  was  like  being  in  a  battle  !  "  he  said,  as  he  climbed 
out. 

"Just  like  it,"  laughed  one  of  the  men,  "  only  that 
you  haven't  got  any  lead  in  you  !  " 

"  Did  you  see  Big  Wolf?  "  asked  Allan,  as  they 
walked,  rather  weak  in  the  knees,  back  to  their  seats. 

"  Yes,"  answered  McConnell,  "  and  I  thought  I  saw 
Walking  Dog,  but  I  wasn't  sure.  I  suppose  he  was 


I76 


Captain  Kodak. 


there.  Wasn't  the  noise  awful! — and  the  smoke! 
I  can  see  now  why  they  can't  photograph  well  in  a  bat 
tle  —  unless  they  use  that  new  smokeless  powder  I  was 
reading  about." 

There  was  more  of  the  show,  but  nothing  seemed 
so  thrilling  as  that  ride.  In  the  midst  of  the  last  per 
formance  McConnell  leaned  forward  excitedly  to  say, 
"  Suppose  some  of  them  forgot  and  put  in  real  car 
tridges  !  " 

When  the  Congress  of  Rough  Riders  had  drawn 
up  in  line  and  Buffalo  Bill  had  swung  his  big  hat  in  a 
final  salute,  the  boys  once  more  hurried  around  to 
the  Indian  tents,  and  found  the  Indians  all  very  busy 
in  preparation  for  departure,  and  the  wigwams  gradu 
ally  disappearing. 


"The  wigwams  gradually  disappearing." 


Big  Wolf  and   Company.  177 

Mr.  Twink  was  nowhere  to  be  seen,  and  nobody 
seemed  to  know  where  he  was.  It  seemed  for  a  time 
as  if  they  would  have  to  give  him  up. 

"  Oh/there's  Big  Wolf!  "  exclaimed  McConnell.  "  I 
suppose  he  would  know  where  he  was." 

"  I've  a  mind  to  ask  him,"  said  Allan.  In  a  moment 
he  did  gather  courage  to  hurry  over  to  where  Big  Wolf 
was  standing,  solemnly  and  deliberately  folding  a  red 
blanket. 

"  Do  you  know  where  Mr.  Twink  is  ?  "  asked  Allan, 
in  a  loud  voice,  as  people  always  do  when  they  talk  to 
a  foreigner  or  one  whom  they  fear  will  not  understand 
them. 

Big  Wolf  turned  and  mutely  pointed  toward  a  dis 
tant  group  of  men.  Yes,  Mr.  Twink  was  there. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Allan.  Big  Wolf  went  on  fold 
ing  the  blanket. 

When  they  got  over  to  where  Mr.  Twink  was,  Allan 
caught  his  attention,  and  both  boys  stammered  their 
thanks  to  him. 

"  Oh,  that's  all  right,"  said  Twink.  "  Glad  to  have 
given  you  a  hand.  Come  and  see  us  again  sometime. 
Good-by  !  " 

And  they  left  him. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  McConnell,  as  they  walked 
home  in  the  early  evening,  "  it  seems  to  me  that  won 
derfully  interesting  things  happen  to  you  when  you 
have  a  camera  !  " 

"  I  was  just  thinking  the  same  thing  myself,"  said 
Allan,  swinging  his  black  box.  "  I  don't  suppose  we 
ever  should  have  thought  of  going  '  behind  the  scenes  ' 
as  we  did  to-day  if  we  hadn't  these  cameras  with  us." 

"  And  we  couldn't  have  talked  to  the  Indians," 
McConnell  added  in  a  tone  of  profound  satisfaction. 


178 


Captain   Kodak. 


"  Well,  I  don't  suppose  we  should  have  had  any 
excuse." 

"  Yes,"  said  McConnell,  "  the  camera  is  an  excuse^ 
isn't  it  ?  " 


XIII. 


A    TOUCH-DOWN. 


M 


cCONNELL'S     re 
mark    now   began    to 
seem  entirely  true  ;  for 
even  commonplace  scenes  and 
commonplace  happenings  be 
came    more    interesting    than 
they  ever  before  had  seemed, 
now  that  they  were  associated 
with  picture-making. 

Dr.  Hartel  said  that  this 
was  because  the  boys  began 
to  think  about  things  in  a  new 
light,  of  which  they  never  be 
fore  had  thought  about  at  all. 
"  It  would  be  much  the  same," 
he  said,  "  if  you  had  taken  up 
botany,  or  mineralogy,  or  the 
microscope.  I  remember  that 
life  and  history  and  govern 
ments  suddenly  began  to  have 
an  entirely  new  interest  for  me 
when  I  began  collecting  coins  and  postage-stamps. 
Before  that  it  didn't  seem  to  make  much  difference 
about  the  Italian  States  or  the  precise  date  of  the 
Restoration,  or  who  was  restored.  Then  at  once  it 

179 


180  Captain  Kodak. 

began  to  seem  of  positively  exciting  importance.  My 
stamps  and  coins  began  telling  me  when  and  whom. 
It  is  the  same  with  your  new  hobby.  When  a  man 
climbs  on  a  hobby,  unless  he  rides  it  too  hard  and 
loses  his  balance,  he  gets  a  wider  view  of  something." 

"  So  I  mustn't  ride  too  hard,"  said  Allan. 

"  No,  you  must  remember  that  the  academy  opens 
next  week." 

A  week  after  the  high  school  opened,  McConnell 
told  Allan  that  Mr.  Thornton  had  remarked  one 
afternoon,  "  Now,  McConnell,  I'm  afraid  you  are 
thinking  about  your  camera." 

"  I  guess  the  next  time  I  get  him  at  one  of  our 
meetings,"  laughed  McConnell,  "  I'll  say  to  him, 
'  Now,  Mr.  Thornton,  I'm  afraid  you  are  thinking 
about  the  high  school.' ' 

At  the  Camera  Club  they  had  begun  to  talk  about 
an  exhibition,  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  talk 
the  matter  over.  It  would  be  a  good  idea,  several  of 
the  members  thought,  to  have  a  display  of  the  summer 
work.  Many  of  the  members  had  travelled  to  the 
mountains  and  seashore  during  July  and  August,  and 
an  exhibition  could  be  made  to  have  great  variety  in 
theme.  Moreover,  the  club  excursions  had  produced 
a  large  batch  of  pictures,  and  the  members  had  not 
yet  seen  much  of  one  another's  work. 

"  We  might  want  to  do  some  swapping,"  said  Owen. 

"  I  wonder  if  we  could  get  Dobbs  to  exhibit,"  said 
Allan,  amused  at  the  thought.  "  I'm  sure  he  would 
have  something  different  from  anybody  else." 

"  I  fancy  Dobbs  is  having  a  hard  time,"  said  Owen. 
"  He  told  me  yesterday  that  he  had  taken  six  pictures 
of —  what's  his  boy's  name  ?  " 

"  Sporty." 


A  Touch-down.  181 

"  Yes,  Sporty,  —  I  hope  that  isn't  his  real  name,  — 
and  that  not  one  of  them  came  out  good.  He  seemed 
disappointed." 

Allan  had  a  proof  in  his  pocket  of  the  picture  he 
had  made  of  his  sister  Ellen  up  a  tree.  "  The  light 
was  very  queer,"  he  complained. 


'"I  think  they  were  a  little  miffed.'" 

"  What  do  you  think  of  these  geese  ?  "  asked  Owen, 
pulling  a  proof  from  his  pocket. 

"  Evidently  they  felt  offended,"  said  Allan.  "They 
seem  to  be  turning  their  backs  on  you." 

"  I  think  they  were  a  little  miffed,"  admitted  Owen. 
"  Geese  are  mighty  independent,  anyway.  Here's  an 
other  lot  I  caught  over  by  the  old  Dutch  farmhouse, 
that  wouldn't  notice  me  at  all." 

McConnell  joined  them  with  a  proof  of  one  of  his 
numerous  attempts  at  Artie.  This  time  Artie  had  his 
crossbow. 


1 82  Captain   Kodak. 


"'Over  by  the  old  Dutch  farmhouse.'" 

"  I  like  that  sunlight  effect,"  said  Allan. 

The  three  boys  were  just  entering  the  club  rooms 
when  Big  McConnell  hailed- them.  "Hello,  Captain 
Kodak  !  What's  the  conspiracy  now  ?  " 

"  Have  you  seen  the  rooms  ?  "  asked  Allan. 

"  No,  I  haven't,  but  I  want  to.  I  think  you  fel 
lows  have  neglected  me.  I  want  to  see  what  is  going 
on  the  same  as  any  one  else." 

"  You're  welcome,"  remarked  Owen. 

"  This  is  the  dark  room,"  said  Allan,  indicating  the 
dim  recesses  beyond  the  partition. 

"I  see,"  said  Big  McConnell.  "Then  this  other  is 
the  light  room,  hey  ?  And,  oh,  yes,  this  is  the  medium 
room  over  here — just  half  and  half." 

"  Stop  your  fooling,  Billy,"  remarked  Little 
McConnell. 

"  And  here  I  am  dying  to  be  photographed,"  com 
plained  Billy,  "  and  nobody  has  taken  me  yet.  It's  a 
shame." 


A  Touch-down. 


183 


"Artie  had  his  crossbow." 

"We'll  all  take  you,"  offered  Allan,  "and  make  a 
composite." 

"  No,  you  don't,"  said  Billy.  "  I  want  to  look 
pleasant,  I  don't  want  to  look  cross.  You  must  pho 
tograph  the  angel  side  of  me.  I  want  you  to  take  me, 
not  to  give  me  away,"  and  Big  McConnell  roared  at 
his  own  joke. 

"  Sit  there  by  the  window,"  ordered  Allan.  • 

"  Yes,  mister,"  said  Big  McConnell,  meekly.  "  See 
that  my  hair  is  pretty  and  my  tie  straight." 

Allan  placed  his  camera  on  the  table  opposite,  ad 
justing  a  box  and  a  book  to  bring  the  camera  into  posi 
tion.  "  Now,  look  pleasant,"  said  Little  McConnell. 

Billy  broke  into  a  broad  grin.  "  Is  this  pleasant 
enough  ?  "  he  asked. 


184  Captain   Kodak. 

"  Too    pleasant,"     said    Allan.       "  Look    serious, 

i         » 
please. 

"  I  can't,"  cried  Billy,  "  it's  too  funny.  Take  me 
as  I  am,  or  send  me  home  to  my  mother." 

"  Well,  keep  still,  anyway,"  pleaded  Allan. 

"  Oh,  I'll  keep  still  —  but  can't  you  snap  it?  " 

"  Not  in-doors,"  said  Allan.  "  I  must  give  it  two 
seconds." 

"  Must  you  ?  "  grinned  Billy,  "  dear  me  !  Two 
seconds  !  That's  like  a  duel,  isn't  it  ?  Don't  they 
have  two  seconds  at  a  duel  ?  " 

"  Steady,  now  !  "  demanded  Allan. 

"  Oh,  I'm  a  very  steady  young  man,"  protested  Billy. 

"There  —  you're  taken  !  "  said  Allan. 

"  What,  already  !  Why,  it  didn't  hurt  a  bit.  I'd 
never  know  anything  had  happened  to  me  ! " 

"  I'm  going  to  put  out  a  sign,"  Allan  said ;  "  c  Pain 
less  Photography.' ' 

"  Good  idea,"  Big  McConnell  said.  "  '  Pictures 
Taken  Without  Pain.'  Everybody  would  come. 
There  would  be  a  crush.  *  Line  forms  on  this  side. 
Walk  up,  ladies,  and  gentlemen,  and  kids !  You'll 
never  know  what  hit  you.'  There's  millions  in  it!  " 

And    Big    McConnell   went    away   with    a   parting 

warning   that   he  wasn't   one  of  those   folks  who   are 

^willing  to  wait  very  long  for  their  proofs.     "And  if 

I  don't  look  handsome,"  he  said,  "I'll  sit  again  —  or 

stand,  until  I'm  suited." 

Allan  had  planned  several  schemes  for  October, 
but  the  first  thing  that  happened  in  October  was 
entirely  unexpected.  Mr.  Merring,  one  of  the  men 
on  the  Daily  Tablet,  who  knew  Dr.  Hartel  and  his 
family,  was  writing  an  article  on  foot-ball  for  one  of 
the  magazines — he  had  been  a  great  half-back  himself 


Is  this  pleasant  enough  ? '  asked  Billy. 


A  Touch-down.  187 

in  his  day  ;  and  he  asked  Allan  if  he  would  run  up 
to  New  Haven  with  him  on  a  Saturday  to  make 
some  shots  at  the  Yale  team  in  practice. 

"  I  suppose  I  ought  to  have  a  camera  myself,"  said 
,  Merring,  "but  I've  never  had  the  time,  somehow,  to 
get  at  it.  But  you  and  I  could  work  together  down 
there." 

Allan  agreed  to  go ;  it  was  another  illustration  of 
McConnell's  remark  about  the  interesting  things  that 
happen  to  you  when  you  have  a  camera.  Merring 
and  Allan  got  to  New  Haven  at  noon,  and  they  had 
luncheon  with  two  of  the  upper-class  men,  who  made 
such  a  fuss  over  Merring  that  Allan  concluded  that 
Merring  had  been  quite  an  important  man  in  the 
university  athletics. 

Allan  was  somewhat  dismayed  to  hear  that  the  team 
would  not  get  out  to  practice  until  nearly  four  o'clock. 

He  mentioned  to  Merring  that  the  light  would 
begin  to  wane  after  three,  and  that  with  the  high-press 
ure  speed  necessary  to  catch  the  rapid  movements,  he 
was  afraid  they  could  not  expect  good  results. 

"  Maybe  I  can  hurry  them,"  said  Merring ;  but 
Allan  fancied  that  Merring  did  not  regard  the  point 
as  very  important,  and  that  he  forgot  the  thing  alto 
gether.  At  all  events,  it  was  three  o'clock  when  they 
started  out  to  the  field,  and  fully  half-past  three  when 
the  practice  teams  came  out. 

Allan  had  a  full  roll  ready,  and  prepared  to  make 
the  most  of  the  situation.  He  and  Merring  took  up 
a  position  opposite  the  middle  line,  and  under  Mer- 
ring's  direction  he  took  the  first  line-up  and  several 
of  the  early  plays;  but  Merring  soon  found  this  diffi 
cult  work,  as  perhaps  he  was  too  much  interested  in 
the  plays  to  care  about  the  pictorial  details.  For 


1  88 


Captain   Kodak. 


whatever  reason,  he  finally  said  to  Allan,  "  You  go 
ahead  on  your  own  account.  Perhaps  you  can  run 
in  closer  if  I'm  not  with  you." 

Merring  said  that  he  had  spoken  to  the  Captain 
and  the  trainer,  and  that  Allan  had  the  privilege  of 
the  field  with  the  camera.  Allan  soon  found  out, 
however,  that  all  of  the  players  were  not  familiar  with 
his  rights  in  the  matter,  for  at  an  exciting  moment 


"'Chase  that  kid  with  the  kodak!  '" 

just  before  a  kick-off  a  big  fellow  in  the  line —  the  big 
gest  fellow  in  the  line,  Allan  thought  —  shouted:  — 

"  Chase  that  kid  with  the  kodak,  or  we'll  kill  him." 

"  Don't  worry  about  me  !  "  shouted  Allan.  "  I'll 
get  out  of  your  way." 

The  big  fellow  paused  a  moment  until  the  Captain 
called,  "  Let  him  alone,  Barney.  He's  going  to  im 
mortalize  you  in  a  magazine  !  " 

Nevertheless,  when  a  half-back  came  suddenly  around 


A  Touch-down.  189 

the  end  with  the  ball  a  moment  later,  and  the  whole 
crowd,  as  it  seemed,  after  him,  Allan  found  but  one 
thing  to  do.  This  was  to  swing  promptly,  and  leap 
at  the  top  of  his  speed  for  the  side  line. 

It  was  a  close  shave.  Allan  felt  as  if  he  had  dodged 
a  cyclone. 

Fortunately  he  had  some  knowledge  of  the  game, 
"and  knew  which  way  to  run,"  as  he  told  Merring 
afterward. 

"  Oh,  you  are  a  great  success  !  "  Merring  said,  with 
a  laugh.  "  Your  dodging  is  the  feature  of  the  day." 


"  An  incredibly  quick  scattering  of  the  players." 

However,  Allan  found  it  to  be  impossible,  with  his 
limited  experience,  to  get  close-quarter  pictures.  He 
knew  it  worried  the  players  to  see  him  too  close,  and 
he  felt  that  with  the  weakening  light  he  could  not  use 
the  highest  speed  of  his  camera  shutter.  Close  quar 
ters  meant  a  blur.  Distance  meant  small  figures. 
Yet  this  was  the  best  that  could  be  done. 

To  make  best  use  of  the  light,  too,  he  shot  rapidly, 
—  and  this  had  its  natural  results  when  he  came  to 
develop  his  films. 

"I  wish,"  said  Merring,  toward  the  close  of  the 
practice,  "  that  you  would  catch  this  next  play  —  it's 
a  new  trick  the  Captain  is  going  to  try ;  I  know  he  has 


190  Captain  Kodak. 

planned  it,  and  if  I  shout  '  Now  ! '  you  let  her  go  as 
quickly  as  you  can." 

The  elevens  lined  up  again,  and  Allan  crept  as  close 
as  seemed  safe. 

"Fourteen  —  seven  —  twenty-one,"  came  the  voice 
from  the  tangle  of  legs.  Allan  did  not  hear  the  rest, 
for  Merring  was  shouting  :  — 

"  Now  !  " 

There  was  a  frightful  tangle  of  the  elevens  as  Allan 
pressed  the  trigger,  and,  while  his  eyes  still  rested  on 
the  finder,  there  was  an  incredibly  quick  scattering  of 
players,  and  five  of  the  men,  with  big  Barney  in  the 
midst  of  them,  swung  across  his  line  of  escape. 

"  Look  out !  "  roared  a  voice. 

Allan  dropped,  face  down,  over  his  camera,  as  he 
would  have  done  over  a  ball. 

He  was  prepared  for  the  awful  feet  of  Barney.  A 
sound  like  low  thunder  was  in  his  ears,  he  felt  rather 
than  saw  a  figure  leap  over  him  as  he  crowded  close 
over  the  box ;  and  the  line  had  passed. 

Then  Merring  was  at  his  shoulder. 

"  Are  you  hurt  ?  " 

"  No.     I  had  to  drop  or  lose  the  camera." 

"  Good  play  !  "  cried  Merring.  "  It  was  a  kind  of 
touch-down  ! " 

"  And  I  got  the  picture,  I  think." 

"  Good  again.  Scott !  Savin  has  made  a  touch 
down,  too  !  " 

It  was  as  Allan  had  expected ;  his  foot-ball  pictures 
were  "  undertimed,"  and  most  of  those  at  close  range 
were  much  defaced  by  movement  of  the  image.  But 
Merring  was  pleased,  and  got  a  number  of  satisfactory 
plates  out  of  the  batch.  Allan  was  inclined  to  prize  these 
highly  whenever  he  thought  of  that  thundering  line. 


XIV. 


THE    SAILING    OF    THE    ARABELLA. 


J 


FOR  over  a  week  Allan 
was  so  busy  over 
school  matters  that 
he  had  no  time  to  do  more 
than  develop  his  foot-ball 
negatives ;  but  those  gay 
October  days  seemed  like 
the  best  of  all  outing  days. 

"  I  want  to  take  that  cat- 
boat  cruise  just  as  soon  as 
I  can,"  Allan  said  to  Me- 
Connell. 

"  Then  you  had  better 
begin  signing  your  crew," 
said  McConnell. 


"  What  berth  would  you  like  ?  "  Allan  asked. 

"  Well,  I  don't  suppose  you  would  make  me  first 
mate.  I'd  be  satisfied  with  second  mate.  I  know 
Owen  will  want  to  be  first  mate." 

"  I  wish  we  three  could  go,"  mused  Allan. 

"  Would  you  take  the  Snorter  or  the  Arabella  ?  " 

"  The  Arabella,  of  course.  She's  quicker,  and  I 
really  think  she's  safer.  Would  your  mother  object 
to  your  going  ?  " 

191 


192  Captain  Kodak. 

"  Not  with  you,"  promptly  replied  McConnell. 
"She  thinks  you  re  pretty  safe." 

"  Does  she  ?  I  must  try  to  deserve  that.  Anyway, 
I  try  not  to  take  any  risks  when  I'm  off  with  a  cat- 
boat.  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  shan't  be  willing  to 
take  the  Arabella  unless  I  can  have  a  fellow  as  big  as 
Owen  along.  After  all,  a  boat  like  the  Arabella  is 
safer  in  every  way  than  one  of  these  little  boats." 

The  Arabella  was  only  twenty  feet  long,  but  she 
was  large  among  the  little  fleet  in  which  she  moored 
at  Kantry's  dock. 

"My  idea,"  pursued  Allan,  "is  to  start  Friday 
afternoon  and  make  up  the  river  as  far  as  we  can 
before  dark,  then  camp  inshore." 

"  To  camp  over  night  ? "  exclaimed  McConnell. 
"  That's  good.  I  haven't  camped  since  last  summer, 
and  that  didn't  count.  We  were  right  near  some 
houses.  Then  what  would  you  do  next  day  ?  " 

"  Next  day  I  think  we  might  boat  a  good  deal, 
make  pictures,  fish  some  if  we  wanted  to,  and  get 
home  by  dark.  As  the  tide  is  setting  up  in  the  after 
noon  now,  I  suppose  it  would  be  best  to  get  down 
into  our  latitude  by  the  middle  of  the  day,  so  that  if 
the  wind  weakened  we  should  have  a  better  chance  of 
getting  in." 

"  And  we'll  carry  lots  of  grub,"  suggested  McCon 
nell. 

"  We  shall  each  chip  in  supplies  —  but  we  are  ar 
ranging  the  whole  plan  without  Owen.  We  had 
better  wait  until  we  see  him." 

Owen  came  down  to  the  club  that  evening.  "That's 
a  good  plan,"  he  said,  when  Allan  found  him  and  had 
set  forth  his  programme.  "  But  I  don't  think  you  can 
get  the  Arabella'" 


The  Sailing  of  the  Arabella.  195 

"  Why  ?  " 

"  Because  some  one  told  me  yesterday  that  Kantry 
had  sold  her." 

"  Now,  that's  too  bad !  "  said  Allan,  despondently. 
"  It  doesn't  seem  as  if  any  other  boat  could  be  so 
good  as  the  Arabella" 

"  Why  not  take  the  Evangeline  ?  " 

Allan  shook  his  head.  "  There  wouldn't  be  room 
for  us  three  and  our  cameras  in  that.  And  we  never 
could  sleep  in  it." 

"  No,"  Owen  admitted  ;  "  we  couldn't  sleep  in  it." 

"  But  you  will  go  ?  "  asked  Allan. 

"Yes,  count  on  me,"  said  Owen. 

The  next  morning  Allan  went  down  to  Kantry's  be 
fore  going  over  to  the  Academy,  and  that  afternoon  he 

O  O  J  ' 

met  Owen  with  the  news  — 

"  Who  do  you  think  bought  the  Arabella  ?  " 

"  Couldn't  guess." 

"  Detective  Dobbs  !  And  I  went  to  see  him  and 
he  says  we're  welcome." 

"  To  take  the  boat  for  the  cruise  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  That's  luck." 

Early  on  Friday  morning  the  boys  were  down  at 
the  river  stowing  provisions  and  cooking  utensils  on 
the  Arabella.  Indeed,  they  had  been  down  the  after 
noon  before  getting  the  craft  into  shape.  They 
wanted  to  be  able  to  lift  sail  and  start  up  the  river 
the  minute  they  were  free  from  school  on  Friday  after 
noon. 

"  You  would  think  we  were  going  away  for  a 
month,"  laughed  Owen. 

"  Well,"  said  Allan,  "  there  are  a  good  many  prepa 
rations  we  have  to  make  just  because  we  are  going 


196  Captain  Kodak. 

for  such  a  short  time.  We  want  to  enjoy  every  bit 
of  it  when  we  do  go." 

And  it  certainly  was  with  this  determination  that 
the  boys  made  sail  on  Friday  afternoon. 

"  It's  good  we  are  not  old  salts,"  remarked  Owen, 
as  the  sail  filled,  and  the  Arabella  slid  into  the  open 
river,  "  as  the  whole  crew  would  mutiny  over  our 
starting  on  Friday." 

"  Somebody  told  me,"  said  McConnell,  pulling  at 
the  sheet,  "  that  Friday  is  a  lucky  day  now." 

"  It's  the  best  we  have,  anyhow,"  said  Allan,  his 
hand  on  the  tiller.  "  I  think  any  day  is  a  lucky  day 
when  you  can  get  away  like  this  with  a  bright  sky 
and  plenty  to  eat  on  board,  and  plenty  of  ammuni 
tion  in  your  cameras." 

"  By  the  way,"  said  Owen,  "  I  must  wrap  up  those 
cameras  ;  we  might  forget  it." 

They  had  carried  along  a  large  waterproof  blanket 
in  which  to  wrap  the  cameras,  in  case  the  Arabella 
shipped  too  much  spray,  and  (on  Mr.  Wincher's  ad 
vice)  in  which  to  wrap  them  at  night,  when  the  damp 
ness  of  the  river  might  injure  the  plates  and  the  film 
rolls. 

"  We  shan't  take  any  pictures  until  to-morrow,  any 
way,"  said  Allan. 

"  And  suppose  it  should  rain  ?  "  remarked  Mc 
Connell. 

"  If  it  rains,  we'll  take  some  rain  pictures." 

"  You're  right,"  said  Owen.  "  I  think  everybody 
takes  too  many  sunshine  pictures.  It  makes  all 
photographs  look  alike.  The  painters  aren't  always 
painting  sunshine." 

"  But  I  like  sunshine,"  said  McConnell,  ducking 
his  head  as  the  boom  came  around. 


The   Sailing  of  the  Arabella.  197 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know,"  mused  Allan.  "  I've  had  lots 
of  fun  in  the  rain.  The  best  fishing  I  ever  had  was 
in  the  rain  one  day." 

"  Oh,  yes  —  fishing,"  McConnell  admitted  ;  "  fish 
ing  is  different.  The  fish  like  it." 

"  And  don't  you  remember  that  ball  game  we  fin 
ished  in  the  rain  ?  Wasn't  it  great  ?  And  the 
whole  of  that  Indian  Cave  trip  was  made  in  the 
rain." 

"  If  you  like  rain,  you're  welcome,"  grunted  Mc 
Connell.  "  Sunshine  is  good  enough  for  me." 

"  So  it  is  for  me.  I'm  sort  of  getting  a  waterproof 
on  my  spirits  in  case  it  does  rain.  Will  you  please 
notice  how  the  Arabella  is  scooting  along  just  now  ? 
What  are  you  doing,  Owen  ?  " 

"  Getting  out  the  feeding  things." 

"  Already  ? " 

"  Yep.     Just  want  to  be  sure  things  are  ready." 

"  Owen  always  has  a  hunger  on,"  laughed  Mc 
Connell. 

"  You're  right,"  confessed  Owen.  "  Especially  in  a 
boat.  Anywhere  else  I  just  have  a  plain  appetite. 
But  the  minute  I  get  into  a  boat,  my  stomach  begins 
to  howl  for  food.  Besides,  it's  after  four  o'clock  and  I 
didn't  eat  much  lunch." 

"  Then  what  do  you  say  to  a  bite  now  ?  "  asked 
Allan, "  and  then  wait  until  we  anchor  for  real  supper. 
We  must  make  tracks  as  long  as  the  sun  lasts." 

"  I'm  with  you,"  said  Owen.  "  Of  course  McCon 
nell  doesn't  want  anything." 

"  Doesn't  he,  though ! "  chimed  in  McConnell. 
"  Just  watch  me  !  " 

"  That's  the  way  with  these  fellows  that  remark 
about  other  fellows'  appetites,"  said  Owen,  his  mouth 


198 


Captain   Kodak. 


full  of  biscuit.     "  Catch  !  "   and  Allan  caught  a  biscuit 
in  his  left  hand. 

The  Arabella  was  making  good  time  in  a  southwest 
breeze,  and  was  heading  straight  up  the  broad,  majestic 
river.  The  ripples  whispered  under  the  bow,  there 
was  a  chuckle  in  the  rudder's  wake,  and  from  the 
throat  of  the  boom  came  a  grunt  of  contentment.  The 
boys  all  shouted  a  greeting  as  they  passed  Mr.  Good- 
stone  in  his  catamaran. 

Allan  suspected  that  the 
wind  would  wane  at  sun 
set,  and  in  the  course  of 
an  hour  turned  the  bow  of 
the  Arabella  to  the  north 
west,  to  which  course  the 
wind  was  entirely  favor 
able.  Indeed,  the  wind 
freshened, and  shortly  after 
five  o'clock  they  were 
within  half  a  mile  of  the 
western  shore,  which  now 
was  in  shadow. 

Allan  then  turned  north 

••  Mr.  Goodstone  in  his  catamaran."       again    while    they    debated 

where  they  should  anchor. 

"  Don't  anchor  yet !  "  pleaded  McConnell. 

"  If  we  are  to  make  a  '  farthest  north '  to-night," 
said  Allan,  who  had  read  "  Nansen  "  with  enthusiasm, 
"  and  do  our  dallying  to-morrow,  I  think  we  should 
keep  going  for  half  an  hour  yet." 

"  Suppose  we  try  for  that  cove  up  beyond  Rod- 
longs,"  suggested  Owen.  "  There  is  a  spring  there, 
and  a  good  place  to  anchor." 

"  I  remember  that,"  said  Allan ;  "  the  Canoe  Club 


The  Sailing  of  the  Arabella.  199 

landed  there  one  night.      But  I   think  it  will  take  an 
hour  yet." 

Owen   thought  they  could  do  it  in  thirty  or  forty 
minutes,  at  the  rate  they  were  then  going ;  and  they 


"The  Arabella  was  making  good  time." 

would  have  done  so  had  not  the  wind  fallen  slightly. 
As  it  was,  the  Arabella  reached  the  cove  in  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour,  just  as  the  twilight  began  to 
deepen. 

The  boys  lifted  the  centre-board,  and  pulled  the 
bow  of  the  boat  into  the  mouth  of  a  little  stream  that 
trickled  from  the  near-by  hill,  and  that  was  reenforced 
by  the  spring,  to  which  McConnell  presently  started 
with  their  tin  bucket. 

Owen  built  a  fire  while  Allan  lowered  and  stowed  the 
sail,  braced  the  boom,  and  set  about  preparing  for 
the  night. 

All  three  boys  were  prodigiously  hungry,  and  Owen 


2oo  Captain   Kodak. 

worked  with  great  zeal  over  his  coffee,  the  smell  of 
which  was  simply  thrilling ;  over  the  bouillon,  which 
was  to  be  warmed ;  over  the  unpacking  of  the 
stores. 

A  flat  stone  was  selected  for  a  supper  table,  and  in 
the  last  of  the  twilight,  and  side  gleams  from  the  fire, 
the  boys  attacked  the  spread  with  which  Owen,  as 
sisted  by  the  others,  had  decorated  the  paper  covering 
of  the  stone. 

"  This  is  entirely  too  nice  for  sailors,"  said  Owen. 
"  We  are  dudes.  Think  of  a  spotless  —  I  mean  a 
spotted  —  table-cloth  like  this,  bouillon,  cold  roast 
beef,  biscuits,  sweet  crackers,  coffee,  and  fresh  water." 

"  You  are  spoiling  us,  Owen,"  admitted  Allan. 
"  This  is  too  good.  And  to  think  that  there  is  lots 

o 

more  left." 

"  Are  you  saving  the  pies  for  to-morrow  ? "  asked 
McConnell. 

"  Sure,"  declared  Owen.  "  Do  you  mean  to  say 
you  want  pie  after  all  this  ?  Pretty  soon,  McConnell, 
you'll  be  asking  for  the  hard-boiled  eggs  we've  got  for 
breakfast." 

"It  seems  to  me  I  never  was  so  hungry,"  said 
McConnell. 

"Wait  till  the  morning,"  said  Allan.  "That's 
when  real  hunger  gets  in  its  fine  work." 

"That's  so,  McConnell,"  said  Owen.  "In  the 
morning  you  could  eat  boiled  dog." 

"  When  are  we  going  to  get  up  ?  "  demanded  Mc 
Connell.  "  Can't  we  have  a  swim,  then,  if  it  isn't  too 
cold  ?  " 

"  Of  course,"  answered  Owen,  "  though  it's  not 
quite  correct.  Sailors  never  swim." 

"  They  don't  ?  "  asked  McConnell. 


The  Sailing  of  the  Arabella.  201 

"  It  seems  funny,"  said  Allan  ;  "  but  they  do  say  a 
great  many  sailors  don't  even  know  how." 

"  Why  not  ? "  persisted  McConnell. 

"  Sharks,  for  one  thing,"  said  Owen.  "  Deep-water 
sailors  get  in  the  habit  of  being  afraid  of  sharks." 

"  I  have  been  thinking,"  said  Allan,  "  that  we  had 
better,  perhaps,  draw  the  Arabella  in  a  little  farther, 
and  let  the  tide  leave  her  there.  We  should  be  floated 
again  about  five  in  the  morning." 

"  Pshaw  !  "  exclaimed  McConnell.  "  I  was  hoping 
we  could  anchor." 

"  But  if  we  anchored  far  enough  out  to  swing  with 
the  tide,  we  would  need  to  show  a  light." 

"  I  really  don't  think  we  should  need  a  light,"  was 
Owen's  opinion.  "  It  is  rather  shallow  here,  and  we 
shouldn't  need  to  be  more  than  fifty  feet  from  the 
shore ;  though  we've  got  our  lantern,  and  we  ought 
to  leave  it,  anyway,  in  case  we  get  adrift.  But  I  don't 
see  but  that  we  shall  be  better  off  right  here  out  of 
sight,  where  we  shall  be  handy  to  our  outfit  for  break 
fast." 

"  That's  how  it  seems  to  me,"  Allan  said. 

McConnell  was  disappointed  not  to  be  able  to 
actually  sleep  on  the  river ;  but  he  was  tired,  and  soon 
began  to  be  too  sleepy  to  worry  very  much  about 
where  he  was  to  sleep.  The  shore  grew  dark ;  lights 
gleamed  on  the  other  side  of  the  river;  the  Albany  and 
Troy  night  boats,  with  their  search-lights,  had  passed 
out  of  sight  and  sound ;  the  dark  trees  swayed  behind 
them  ;  and  the  crickets  and  locusts  had  begun  their 
drowsy  night  chorus. 

A  piece  of  canvas,  which  they  had  brought  for  the 
purpose,  was  stretched  to  form  a  tent,  with  the  boom 
for  its  central  support.  The  blankets  were  unrolled 


202  Captain  Kodak. 

and  spread  ;  Owen  lay  on  one  side  of  the  centre-board, 
Allan  on  the  other,  while  McConnell  completed  the 
triangle,  as  he  curled  up  across  the  line  of  their 
feet. 

Before  this  had  been  accomplished  the  tide  had  left 
the  boat  with  her  keel  resting  in  the  little  channel  of 
the  stream,  and  the  Arabella  stood  almost  upright. 
The  night  noises  floated  down  from  the  hillside. 
Through  the  opening  of  the  improvised  tent  they 
could  see  the  stars. 


XV. 


A   CHANGED   SKY. 


A 


LLAN    was     awak 
ened  just  as   dawn 
was  breaking  by  a 
sensation     of    cold,    and 
found  McConnell  tugging 
at  the  coverings  in  an  ef 
fort  to  bury  his  head  with 
out  uncovering  his  feet. 

"  Are  you  cold,  Mc 
Connell  ? "  Allan  asked. 

"  About  frozen,"  was 
McConnell's  plaintive  re 
sponse. 

"  Let  us  get  up  and  stir  around." 
They  both  climbed  out  without  disturbing  Owen, 
and  soon  had  the  breakfast  fire  started. 

"  I  never  knew  it  was  so  cold  early  in  the  morning," 
said  McConnell. 

Just  then  a  head  appeared  from  under  the  canvas 
shelter  of  the  Arabella.  "  How  about  that  swim, 
McConnell?" 

"  No,  you  don't !  "  retorted  McConnell.  "A  little 
later  in  the  day  will  do  for  me." 

Owen  laughed  as  he  emerged  from  the  boat,  which 
now  was  afloat  again.  "  I'm  going  to  try  for  a  fish," 

203 


204  Captain  Kodak. 

Owen  announced ;  but  the  best  he  could  accomplish 
was  a  very  small  weakfish,  which  he  cleaned  with  as 
much  satisfaction  as  if  it  had  been  a  ten-pound  bass. 

Small  as  it  was,  the  fish  gave  a  delicious  relish  to  the 
breakfast. 

"  This  is  simply  gorgeous  !  "  exclaimed  Owen. 

"Yes,"  said  Allan,  as  he  sipped  his  coffee  from  the 
tin  cup,  "  a  millionnaire  in  his  fifty-thousand-dollar 
yacht  couldn't  live  any  sweller  than  this." 

"  Before  we  go,"  said  Owen,  "  I  want  to  make  a 
picture  of  the  camp.  Guess  I'll  do  it  now  —  from 
that  point  over  there,"  and  Owen  extracted  his  cam 
era  from  the  waterproof  blanket  in  the  bow,  told 
Allan  and  McConnell  to  stay  where  they  were,  and 
clambered  over  to  the  view-point  he  had  chosen.  The 
morning  was  so  still  that  at  a  distance  of  over  a  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  they  could  hear  the  click  of  his  shutter. 

Cool  as  the  early  morning  had  been,  the  day  was 
pleasantly  mild  when  the  sun  shone,  and  the  Arabella 
sailed  away  with  the  boys  in  high  spirits.  Allan  made 
his  course  to  the  north  again,  with  the  wind  west  and 
freshening.  They  decided  upon  a  landing  at  a  pic 
turesque  point  three  miles  up  the  river,  before  turning 
about  for  a  leisurely  journey  home. 

Allan  and  McConnell  brought  forth  their  cameras 
and  looked  them  over  as  a  huntsman  might  his  gun, 
or  a  fisherman  his  rod. 

"  I  want  to  make  some  shore  pictures,"  said  McCon 
nell,  "with  long,  quivering  reflections  in  the  water." 

"  And  a  white  sail,"  added  Allan,  "  somewhere 
against  the  green  of  the  shore." 

"  And  a  man  in  a  small  boat  in  the  foreground," 
Owen  offered  in  supplement. 

All  of  these  elements  seemed  to  be  present  at  one 


A   Changed  Sky.  205 

time  or  another.  The  shore  was  rich  in  interesting 
bits.  The  river-sailing  craft  gleamed  in  the  mellow 
eirly  sun.  From  private  docks  and  invisible  coves 
small  boats  drifted  into  the  open.  It  was  a  fresh, 
buoyant  morning.  During  the  short  run  to  the  point 
the  boys  had  fixed  upon  for  another  landing,  the 
breeze  became  still  more  energetic,  and  the  boys  were 
delighted  with  the  spirited  way  the  Arabella  behaved 
when  Allan  brought  her  up  into  the  wind  preparatory 
to  landing. 

With  the  breeze  blowing  inshore,  they  dropped 
anchor  and  landed  from  the  stern.  After  all  three  had 
clambered  out  with  their  cameras,  Owen  and  Allan 
went  aboard  again,  lowered  the  sail,  and  drew  a  stern 
line  to  a  boulder  on  shore. 

From  the  point  where  they  had  landed,  the  river 
looked  beautiful  indeed.  Ruffled  by  the  wind,  the 
river  had  no  placid  lines  of  reflection  save  in  the  turns 
of  the  shore,  but  the  changing  lines  of  the  water  under 
the  tumbling  white  clouds,  the  smudge  of  New  York's 
smoke  far  away  to  the  south,  the  variegated  river  craft, 
coal  and  ice  barges,  tow-boats,  lighters,  river  steamers, 
ferries ;  the  gulls  circling  from  the  white  of  the  clouds 
to  the  white  of  the  steamers'  wake  —  these  were  sights 
to  make  a  boy  reach  for  his  camera  now  and  then,  until 
it  seemed  that  no  more  plates  could  be  devoted  to  the 
river. 

They  climbed  to  the  brow  of  the  bluff,  a  picturesque, 
wooded  place,  and  discussed  a  view-point  for  a  picture 
which  should  have  a  queer  twist  of  the  rocks  and  trees 
for  a  foreground,  and  for  the  distance  the  blue  crest  of 

O  •* 

the  Palisades  with  the  blue-green  river  between. 

"  With  the  breeze  like  this,"  said  Allan  to  Owen, 
"  I  shouldn't  want  to  try  tripod  work  just  here." 


206  Captain   Kodak. 

Owen  had  just  returned  from  a  little  run  overland, 
where  he  found  a  waterfall  and  an  abandoned  bit  of 
orchard.  Presently  the  three  boys  followed  the  line 
of  the  bluff  to  the  north,  and  at  a  distance  of  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  they  came  upon  what  at  first  seemed  like  an 
abandoned  hut,  but  which  turned  out  to  have  for  an 
inhabitant  a  queer  old  man,  who  sat  just  within  the 
open  door  smoking  a  pipe. 

The  old.  man  nodded  to  the  boys  and  then  stared 
past  them  at  the  river. 

"  I  suppose  he's  a  hermit,"  whispered  McConnell. 

"  He  does  look  rather  lonesome,"  said  Owen. 

"  And  savage,"  said  Allan. 

"  If  he  didn't  look  so  savage,"  McConnell  sug 
gested,  "  I'd  like  to  take  him  sitting  there  at  the 
door." 

Probably  Owen  and  Allan  had  been  thinking  the 
same  thing.  Yet  when  they  stood  looking  out  over 
the  river  they  heard  a  rustle  in  the  tall  grass  and  the 
queer  old  man  had  come  close  behind  them. 

"  Cameras  ?  "  asked  the  old  man  in  a  strange  voice. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Allan. 

"  Take  me,"  said  the  old  man.  "  You  will  find 
nothing  in  the  river  so  interesting  as  I  am,"  and  he 
smiled  a  smile  so  extraordinary  that  the  boys  unani 
mously  grew  uneasy. 

"You  are  polite  boys,"  said  the  old  man,  "and  you 
do  not  say  c  who  are  you  ? '  Nevertheless  I  will  tell 
you.  I  am  Alexander  Hamilton." 

To  this  the  boys  said  not  a  word. 

"  I  can  see  your  astonishment,"  said  the  old  man. 
"  You  had  thought  with  the  rest  of  them  that  I  was 
killed  in  the  duel  with  Aaron  Burr.  Ha  !  ha  !  "  and 
the  old  man  laughed  as  a  disordered  phonograph 


;A  picturesque,  wooded  place." 


A   Changed  Sky.  209 

laughs.  "  Yes,  you  thought  I  was  killed.  But  I  am 
not  killed  —  dangerously  wounded,  but  not  killed, 
and  I  crawled  away  out  of  their  sight." 

Now  Allan  knew  that  the  poor  old  fellow  was 
crazy,  but  this  did  not  make  him  less  uneasy. 

"  Then  you  must  be  very  old,"  suggested  Allan. 

"  One  hundred  and  thirty  one  this  year,"  muttered 
the  old  man. 

"The  duel  was  in  1804,  wasn't  it?  "  asked  Owen. 

The  old  man  nodded.  "You  remember  it,  then  ?" 
he  added  with  increased  interest. 

"No,"  stammered  Owen,  "not  exactly  that — I 
remember  reading  of  it." 

The  old  man's  outstretched  hand  pointed  to  the 
south.  "  On  Weehawken  Heights.  It  seems  like 
yesterday.  Ah  !  my  dear  boys,  Burr  was  no  gen 
tleman!  I  wish  I  had  time  to  show  you  my  last 
letters  to  him,  and  my  onion  patch  too.  Do  you  like 
onions  ?  "  the  old  man  suddenly  asked  McConnell. 

"  I  like  them  pickled,"  said  McConnell. 

"  Dear  me  !  "  exclaimed  the  old  man,  "  I  haven't 
one  pickled.  But  suppose  you  photograph  me  any 
way.  I'm  the  oldest  thing  here  except  the  hills  and 
the  river." 

"  Perhaps  you  wouldn't  mind  standing  in  the  door 
way  of  your  house,"  ventured  Owen. 

"My  house  !  Nonsense  !  "  ejaculated  the  old  man. 
"  I  am  only  living  here  temporarily.  The  place  is 
but  forty  years  old.  I  shall  soon  have  to  have  an 
other  place.  I  outgrow  them  all.  No ;  take  me 
here  with  the  trees.  Just  wait,"  and  the  old  man 
walked  away  to  the  hut  and  soon  returned  with  a 
straw  hat  on  his  head.  "  I  must  look  like  a  gentle 
man,"  he  said. 


2TO 


Captain   Kodak. 


"You  don't  mind  us  all  taking  you  ?  "  asked  Allan. 

"  No,"  returned   the  old  man,  "  I  don't  mind.     It 

is  a  long  time  since   I  was  photographed  ;  it  was  on 

my  hundredth  birthday,  I   think,  in  1857.     Dear  me! 

how  time  flies  when  you 
are  busy  with  state  pa 
pers  and  onions  and 
things." 

"  Poor  old  man  !  " 
said  Owen  as  they  moved 
away  after  thanking  him. 
"  When  people  talk 
queer  like  that,"  said 
McConnell,  "it  gives 

D 

me  a  creepy  feeling." 

"  I  wonder  how  he 
lives,"  queried  Allan, 
"  and  how  long  he  has 
been  gone  that  way.  I 
wish  I  knew  more  about 
him." 

"  Well,  I  don't,"  said 
McConnell.  "  Crazy 
people  upset  me.  I'm 
afraid  of  them." 

"  There  was  nothing 
to  be  afraid  of,"  Allan 
insisted;  "  the  old  fellow 
is  evidently  harmless." 

"Yes,  I  know,"  McConnell  said;  "but  these  harm 
less  people  —  ugh  !  "  and  he  shuddered.  "  They  are 
worst  of  all." 

The  boys  were  again  on  the  edge  of  the  bluff.  Just 
beyond  the  crest  of  the  slope  rose  a  shaft  of  rock, 


"  '  I  must  look  like  a  gentleman,'  he 
said." 


A  Changed  Sky.  211 

tufted  on  the  top  with  grass,  as  you  might  fancy  a 
stone  giant  with  a  shaggy  wig.  Owen  made  a  picture 
from  the  north  side,  showing  the  shore  and  hills  with 
the  stone  sentinel  standing  in  the  foreground. 

Allan  decided  that  if  he  could  reach  the  top  of  the 
rock  he  could  command  the  path  by  which  they  had 
come,  the  old  man's  hut,  the  spur  of  the  hills,  and 
the  anchorage  of  the  Arabella. 

"  I  wouldn't  risk  it,"  said  McConnell.  "  It  looks 
rather  narrow." 

"  I  can  do  it  easily,"  insisted  Allan,  "  if  one  of 
you  will  hand  up  the  camera  afterward." 

Owen  took  charge  of  the  kodak  while  Allan,  by 
a  long  reach,  caught  a  shelf  of  the  rock,  got  foot 
hold,  and  hauled  himself  safely  to  the  top. 

A  beautiful  scene  spread  out  before  him.  Low 
trees  swayed  between  him  and  the  river  bank.  On 
the  opposite  side  was  the  long  ledge  of  grass  and  bush- 
grown  land  and  the  sloping  hills.  North  and  south 
were  the  irregular  lines  of  the  shore,  lighted  by 
patches  of  sunlight  that  were  moved  quickly  by  the 
scurrying  white  clouds  overhead. 

"  I  can  just  see  the  Arabella"  said  Allan,  as  Owen 
reached  far  out  with  the  camera. 

To  stand  firmly  on  the  head  of  the  rock  proved  to 
be  no  easy  matter,  by  reason  of  the  narrow  space  and 
the  energy  of  the  breeze.  The  difficulties  Allan  over 
came  successfully  as  he  opened  his  camera  and  set  his 
diaphragm  and  shutter.  It  was  at  the  moment  when, 
with  the  bulb  in  his  hand,  he  was  sighting  the 
camera  that  a  huge  fragment  of  the  weather-worn  rock 
on  which  he  stood  crumbled  away,  carrying  with  it 
more  than  half  of  the  tuft  of  grass  on  which  he  stood, 
and  Allan,  after  a  quick  effort  to  preserve  his  balance 


212  Captain  Kodak. 

on  the  narrowed  support,  fell  with  the  crumbling  stone 
and  disappeared  from  the  sight  of  his  companions. 

McConnell  rushed  closer  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff 
with  a  startled  cry,  but  he  could  see  nothing  through 
the  fringe  of  leaves  in  the  treetops  below.  Owen 
caught  McConnell  and  pulled  him  back,  then  him 
self  started  to  find  a  way  to  the  river  bank.  Mc 
Connell  started  in  the  opposite  direction,  and  by 
chance  it  was  he  who  first  found  an  opening  through 
which  he  could  slide  and  tumble  to  the  lower  level 
of  the  shore. 

Tearing  his  way  through  the  bushes  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  shaft  of  rock,  McConnell  peered  about 
him  for  some  sign  of  Allan.  When  he  did  not 
find  him  immediately,  his  terror  increased. 

Turning  farther  from  the  foot  of  the  rock  he  found 
the  camera  lying  in  some  bushes,  apparently  unhurt. 
Then,  in  a  little  open  space,  he  found  Allan,  lying  on 
his  back,  his  face  white  and  still. 

"  Oh,  Allan  ! "  was  all  McConnell  could  say,  with 
his  heart  beating  so  hard.  The  thought  that  Allan 
might  be  dead,  stupefied  him. 

At  the  sound  of  Owen  making  his  way  through  the 
bushes,  McConnell  sprang  up  and  cried,  "  Here  he  is  !  " 

The  sight  of  McConnell's  quivering  lips  prepared 
Owen  for  what  he  saw  in  the  little  opening.  They 
knelt  down  beside  Allan,  and  Owen  bent  closely  over 
him,  lifting  his  head  on  his  arm. 

"  He  is  breathing  !  "  cried  Owen. 

"  Is  he  ?  "  gasped  McConnell ;  "  I  didn't  know." 

"  Yes,"  continued  Owen,  peering  anxiously  into 
Allan's  face ;  "  perhaps  he  is  only  stunned.  We  must 
do  something  right  away.  If  we  only  had  some 
water ! " 


He  found  Allan  lying  on  his  back,  white  and  still. 


A   Changed  Sky.  215 

While  Owen  was  lifting  Allan  so  as  to  place  him 
with  his  head  resting  more  comfortably,  McConnell 
rushed  to  the  river  and  filled  his  joined  hands  with 
water.  When  he  had  struggled  back,  most  of  the 
water  was  gone,  but  they  sprinkled  this  on  Allan's 
face  and  bathed  his  forehead. 

"  Do  you  think  he  has  broken  —  anything?  "  asked 
McConnell. 

"  Somehow,  I  don't,"  Owen  said.  "  It  seems  as  if 
he  had  only  knocked  his  head  ;  but  I  can't  find  a  cut 
anywhere.  If  we  could  only  get  him  up  to  the  queer 
old  man's  hut." 

"  Yes,"  assented  McConnell.  "  We  must  do  it. 
And  I  don't  see  how." 

"  You  got  down  a  shorter  way,"  said  Owen.  "  We 
must  carry  him  that  way." 

But  they  both  stared  anxiously  at  Allan's  face. 
Would  he  wake  up  again  ? 

While  they  were  carrying  him  toward  the  opening 
in  the  ridge  by  which  McConnell  had  descended, 
Allan  opened  his  eyes. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  asked  Allan. 

Then  they  set  him  down,  and  McConnell  began  to 
cry  and  laugh  at  the  same  time,  and  to  dance  around 
until  Owen  said,  "  McConnell,  you're  as  crazy  as  the 
old  man  of  the  hut." 

But  McConnell  didn't  care.  He  hugged  Allan's 
hand  without  a  word  until  Allan  said,  "  What  are  you 
fellows  doing  ?  " 

"  Oh,  nothing  !  "  replied  Owen.  "  Only  trying  to 
get  you  back  where  you  started  from." 

Allan  put  his  hand  to  his  head.  "Yes,"  he  said 
slowly,  "  I  slipped,  didn't  I  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  you  did." 


2i 6  Captain  Kodak. 

"  And  I  grabbed  a  limb  of  the  tree,  and  it  broke 
with  me,  and  my  head  struck  another  limb,  I  think,  that 
swung  me  around.  Yes,  here  it  is  —  feel  that  walnut 
I've  got  here,"  and  Owen  found  the  spot  where  Allan's 
head  had  suffered  in  the  tumble. 

Allan  started  to  his  feet,  then    sank    down    again. 

D 

"  Oh,  I'm  not  broken,"  he  faintly  assured  Owen  ;  "  but 
things  are  swimming  around  frightfully.  Will  you 
keep  still,  McConnell  ?  " 

After  a  while  Owen  gave  Allan  a  little  help,  and  they 
pushed  and  dragged  him  up  through  the  opening  to 
the  top,  where  the  queer  old  man  stood  with  his  hands 
in  his  pockets. 

"  This  way,"  commanded  the  old  man,  as  if  he 
knew  just  what  had  happened ;  and  he  led  the  way 
toward  the  hut,  at  the  door  of  which  he  paused,  made 
Allan  sit  on  the  step,  and  disappeared  within. 

When  he  reappeared,  the  old  man  had  a  cup  in  his 
hand.  "  Drink  this,"  he  said  to  Allan,  extending  his 
hand. 

Allan  hesitated.  There  was  a  dark  liquid  in  the 
bottom  of  the  cup. 

"  Drink  it ! "  repeated  the  old  man,  and  Allan  did 
as  he  was  told. 

Whatever  the  liquid  was,  it  made  Allan  feel  much 
better,  so  much  better  that  he  soon  began  to  make 
light  of  the  accident  and  asked  McConnell  to  go  after 
the  camera. 

"  These  rocks  are  very  old,"  said  the  man  of  the 
hut,  "  older  than  I  am.  They  are  getting  feeble. 
You  must  not  trust  their  strength." 

"  It  was  a  close  call,"  Owen  declared  fervently.  "  I 
expected  to  have  to  piece  you  together.  But  you  were 
only  out  of  focus  and  very  much  fogged." 


A   Changed  Sky.  217 

"  Your  kodak  seems  to  be  all  right,"  said  McCon- 
nell,  coming  up  with  the  camera. 

Allan  looked  curiously  at  the  set  lever  of  the  exposer. 
"  I  must  have  squeezed  the  bulb,  anyway,"  he  laughed. 
"  The  shutter  went  off." 

"  I  wonder  what  sort  of  a  thing  you  got,"  said 
McConnell. 

"  Probably  some  interesting  sky,"  was  Allan's 
opinion. 

The  sky  !  They  had  not  noticed  that  within  the  last 
ten  minutes  the  clouds  to  the  south  had  grown  heavier. 
The  wind  was  now  from  the  southeast  and  decidedly 
fresh. 

Allan  arose  and  felt  quite  steady  again.  "  I'm  all 
right.  Good-by — Mr.  Hamilton." 

"  Good-by,"  said  the  old  man. 

"  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you." 

"  You  are  entirely  welcome,  sir." 

When  he  started  to  walk  Allan  found  that  he  had 
bruised  his  right  leg ;  but  he  sought  to  make  light  of 
this  to  himself  as  well  as  to  the  others ;  and,  indeed, 
the  stiffness  which  came  into  it  while  he  sat  on  the 
step  of  the  hut  soon  wore  away. 

The  Arabella  was  tugging  at  her  anchor  line  as  if 
impatient  to  be  away. 

Allan  looked  doubtfully  at  the  river  and  sky.  "  We 
shall  have  to  put  in  again  somewhere  if  things  get  any 
fresher,"  he  said. 

"  I  don't  think  it's  going  to  be  any  worse,"  was 
Owen's  opinion.  "  This  is  a  fine  breeze  for  a  spin." 

"  Well,  we'll  try  it." 

After  the  cameras  had  been  stowed,  they  debated  as 
to  whether  they  had  better  eat  lunch  before  starting, 
and  decided  that  in  case  they  had  to  anchor  later  it 


2i 8  Captain  Kodak. 

would  be  best  to  spend  the  immediate  interval  in  get 
ting  to  a  more  sheltered  position.  "  We  can  eat  a 
bite  on  the  way  down,"  said  Owen. 

But  when  they  had  turned  the  head  of  the  Arabella 
east  to  clear  the  point,  and  had  made  a  half  mile  from 
the  shore  on  this  tack,  the  full  force  of  the  rising 
breeze  became  apparent,  and  the  sky  to  the  southeast 
was  by  no  means  reassuring.  Allan  gave  the  tiller  to 
McConnell  after  they  came  about,  and  the  two  others 
set  to  work  to  take  a  reef  in  the  sail — an  undertaking 
to  which  Allan  soon  found  that  he  was  not  equal.  A 
peculiar  weakness,  the  natural  result  of  his  mishap, 
made  it  imperative  for  him  to  drop  on  his  knees  and 
steady  himself  when  the  Arabella  careened  to  star 
board. 

They  realized  now  that  they  had  been  foolish  in 
not  reefing  before  starting,  if  they  had  not  been  un 
wise  in  starting  at  all. 

"  Hold  her  as  close  as  you  can  ! "  called  Allan  to 
Owen,  as  the  latter  took  his  place  in  the  stern  after 
abandoning  the  effort  to  reef.  "  We  had  better  make 
straight  for  shelter." 

Presently  it  began  to  be  plain  that  they  could  make 
little  choice  as  to  an  anchorage.  A  low  growl  of 
thunder  was  accompanied  by  a  spatter  of  rain,  and  in 
an  incredibly  short  time  the  rain  began  to  fall  heavily. 
The  wind  whistled  under  the  boom;  whitecaps  were 
all  about  them. 

Allan  and  McConnell,  who  had  drawn  in  on  the 
sheet,  now  paid  it  out  again,  and  Owen  took  care  that 
the  sail  should  not  fill  too  full  as  he  headed  straight 
for  the  west  shore. 

With  this  precaution  the  boat  made  little  headway, 
the  sail  was  drenched,  and  its  increased  weight,  added 


A  Changed  Sky.  219 

to  the  strength  of  the  wind,  kept  the  end  of  the  boom 
much  of  the  time  in  the  water. 

Right  ahead  was  a  shallow  place  and  ugly  rocks. 
To  lift  the  centre-board  here  and  attempt  to  come  up 
into  the  wind  would  mean  being  blown  on  the  rocks 
and  the  destruction  of  the  Arabella. 

"  We  must  come  up  closer  to  the  wind  again  !  " 
cried  Allan.  "  There  is  a  cove  a  little  farther  to  the 
south." 

But  the  savageness  of  the  wind  and  the  wet  sail 
made  this  very  difficult.  When  they  drew  in  the 
sheet,  the  Arabella  took  water  on  the  starboard  side. 
The  boys  were  wet  to  the  skin,  and  were  up  to  their 
ankles  in  water. 

"  Straight  for  the  beech  tree,"  muttered  Allan,  "  the 
water  seems  deep  there.  Don't  swing  her  until  the 
last  minute.  I'll  be  ready  to  lower  away  and  drop 
anchor.  McConnell,  you  take  this  other  line.  I'll 
hold  the  sheet  free  with  my  left." 

Owen  found  no  fault  with  the  directions.  Plainly 
it  was  the  only  thing  to  do.  Owen  did  not  put  down 
the  tiller  until  they  were  within  forty  feet  of  the  shore. 
Then  Allan  let  go  the  peak,  pushed  over  the  anchor, 
and  they  all  sprang  at  the  flapping  sail. 

Fortunately  the  cove  afforded  shelter  from  the  full 
vigor  of  the  wind,  and  made  less  difficult  than  might 
have  been  expected  the  task  of  lowering  the  sail.  The 
slight  shelter  made  it  possible  also  to  hold  the  lowered 
sail  in  a  position  to  cover  the  pit  of  the  boat. 

"  All  hands  to  the  pumps  ! "  shouted  Allan,  and  all 
three  (McConnell  with  a  drinking-cup)  bailed  ener 
getically  until  the  boat  had  again  been  made  habitable. 
The  rain  fell  heavily  on  the  sail  over  their  heads  ;  but 
the  situation  had  a  pleasant  flavor  of  adventure,  and 


Captain  Kodak. 

Owen  distributed  rations  as  successfully  as  the  cramped 
situation  would  permit. 

"  I  wish  we  had  something  warm,"  said  Owen. 
The  rain  had  chilled  them,  and  their  clothes  had  no 
chance  of  drying  in  the  present  situation. 

Owen  finally  made  known  his  determination  to  get 
ashore  and  reconnoitre.  He  took  off  his  shoes  and 
socks,  rolled  up  his  trousers,  and  slid  over  the  stern 
with  a  line  which  he  fastened  to  the  low  branch  of  a 
tree  that  overhung  the  water. 

When  he  returned,  in  ten  minutes,  it  was  with  news 
of  an  empty  old  house  at  a  short  distance,  a  house 
with  a  fireplace  where  they  could  "  get  a  chance  to  dry 
up."  They  clambered  up  to  the  old  house,  entered 
through  a  broken  kitchen  window,  and  soon  had  a 
blaze  going  in  the  front  room  fireplace.  McConnell 
carried  up  the  cooking  traps. 

"  How  are  you  feeling  ?  "  asked  Owen,  with  a  sus 
picious  glance  at  Allan. 

"  Don't  worry  about  me,"  Allan  replied.  "  I  only 
want  to  get  my  feet  dried  —  and  a  cup  of  coffee,"  he 
added,  glancing  wistfully  at  the  kettle. 

"  You'll  have  your  coffee,  Captain,  in  three  minutes. 
Move  up  to  the  fire.  McConnell,  skin  out  and  get 
me  some  water." 

It  still  was  raining  heavily,  though  the  wind  had 
modified. 

"  If  the  storm  keeps  up,"  said  Allan,  "we  shall  have 
to  spend  the  night  here,  and  we  might  as  well  make 
ourselves  as  comfortable  as  possible."  They  carried 
up  some  boxes  from  the  cellar  and  McConnell  found 
an  old  rocker  upstairs. 

"  The  Captain,  being  wounded,  has  the  rocker,"  de 
clared  Owen. 


'They  clambered  up  to  the  old  house." 


A   Changed  Sky.  223 

"  The  Captain  doesn't  want  to  be  babied,"  said 
Allan.  "  The  Captain  will  be  as  good  as  any  of  the 
crew  in  another  hour." 

The  prediction  almost  seemed  to  come  true.  Later 
in  the  afternoon,  Allan  insisted  on  going  down  with 
Owen  and  McConnell  to  make  things  more  secure  on 
the  Arabella^  and  to  carry  up  the  cameras,  further 
supplies  of  food,  and  the  three  blankets.  They 
couldn't  reach  home  before  dark  unless  with  a  fair 
wind  and  smooth  water,  and  tide,  wind,  and  water  were 
all  against  them  now,  not  to  speak  of  the  rain  which 
continued  until  after  dark. 

Thus  it  happened  that  they  passed  the  night  in  the 
old  house,  the  blankets  folded  up  for  beds. 

When  he  awoke  in  the  morning,  Allan  caught  sight 
of  Owen  in  a  far  corner  photographing  the  room  and 
the  sleepers. 

"  Keep  still !  "  whispered  Owen.  "  Let  me  sur 
prise  McConnell  by  and  by,  anyway." 

Their  breakfast  exhausted  the  resources  of  the  com 
missary  department.  "  You  see,"  said  Owen,  "  we 
didn't  expect  to  be  away  until  to-day,  did  we  ?  " 

"  We'll  be  late  for  church,"  chuckled  McConnell. 

"  We  may  be  late  for  supper,"  complained  Allan. 
"  Do  you  see  the  fog  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Owen  ;  "  you  could  cut  it  with  a  knife. 
We  can't  budge  until  it  lifts." 

"And  all  the  grub  gone,"  sighed  McConnell. 

"  We  haven't  even  a  horn,"  said  Allan.  "  It  makes 
yoit  feel  helpless.  If  it  shouldn't  clear  by  this  after 
noon,  we  should  have  to  strike  over  to  a  West  Shore 
railroad  station  and  get  around  that  way.  I  shouldn't 
want  to  worry  the  folks;  but  I  haven't  but  half  a 
dollar  with  me." 


224  Captain  Kodak. 

"  I  haven't  a  cent  in  these  clothes,"  said  Owen,  as 
they  stood  looking  out  into  the  fog. 

"  Nor  I,"  said   McConnell. 

They  returned  to  the  boat,  and,  to  be  prepared  for 
sailing  the  moment  the  fog  should  lift,  stowed  every 
thing  on  board,  and  drew  in  the  stern  line. 


XVI. 


AN    UNEXPECTED   VISITOR. 


PRESENTLY    Owen 
suggested   that  they 
shift  their  anchorage 
to   a    more    advantageous 
point ;  and  they  had  just 
raised    the    anchor    when 
Owen     exclaimed,    "  I've 
forgotten  the  kettle  !  " 

"  Let  it  go,"  said  Mc- 
Connell.  It  had  been  one 
of  his  contributions  to  the 
supplies. 

"  No,"  Owen  insisted, 
"  I  don't  feel  like  giving 
it  up.  It  has  been  good  to  us  and  we  mustn't  leave 
it  behind.  Back  her  a  little  with  the  oar,  Allan,  and 
I'll  skip  up  and  get  it." 

With  the  oar  Allan  pushed  the  Arabella  nearer  the 
shore  and  Owen  sprang  out,  landing  on  a  broad  stone, 
and  disappeared  among  the  bushes. 

Dropping  the  oar  on  the  deck,  Allan  sat  down  beside 
McConnell.  The  river  was  very  still.  They  could 
see  nothing  but  a  few  feet  of  the  bank.  Everywhere 
else  was  the  gray,  silent  fog  —  a  cold  fog  that  made 
the  boys  shiver. 

Q  225 


226  Captain   Kodak. 

Less  than  a  minute  after  he  had  seated  himself 
beside  McConnell,  Allan  felt  something  jar  the  Ara 
bella.  His  first  thought  was  that  the  boat  had  drifted 
into  shallow  water,  and  had  either  grounded  or  bumped 
a  rock.  As  he  turned  his  head  he  caught  sight,  over 
the  bow,  of  a  skiff,  a  low  skiff  without  oars  ;  and  at  the 
same  moment  the  head  of  a  man  appeared  above  the 
deck  line  of  the  Arabella. 

"  Keep  quiet,"  said  the  man. 

The  voice  in  which  the  man  spoke  was  neither  loud 
nor  harsh,  and  was  not  above  a  whisper  in  volume ; 
yet  it  gave  Allan  a  feeling  of  horror.  It  was  the  voice 
of  one  exhausted,  of  one  desperate. 

"  Quiet !  "  repeated  the  man,  this  time  more  threat 
eningly,  and  his  eyes  fixed  themselves  on  Allan  in  a 
quivering  stare.  As  he  looked  more  definitely  into 
the  man's  face,  Allan  became  aware  that  he  had  seen  it 
before.  Changed  as  the  face  was,  there  could  be  no 
doubt  that  it  was  that  of  the  Ghost.  And  it  arose 
beside  Allan  as  the  man  stood  up  in  the  skiff,  and, 
with  a  quick  motion,  stepped  into  the  Arabella. 

The  boys  now  saw,  with  increased  horror,  that  the 
man  of  the  ghastly  white  face  wore  the  clothes  of  a 
convict. 

"  Look  here ! "  said  the  man,  in  the  same  voice, 
crouching  beside  Allan,  "will  you  be  pleasant  and 
sociable,  or  must  I  —  ?"  and  he  caught  Allan  by  the 
neck  with  his  thin  hands,  and  struck  the  boy's  head 
against  the  centre-board. 

Allan  struggled  to  loosen  the  man's  hands,  and  then 
gasped,  "  What  do  you  want  ?  " 

"  What  do  I  want  ?  I  want  liberty.  That's  what 
I  want.  I  want  it  so  bad  that  I  have  been  three  days 
and  three  nights  in  this  skiff,  watching  my  chance, 


Looking  out  into  the  fog." 


An   Unexpected   Visitor.  229 

since  I  got  out  of  there,"  and  he  pointed  up  the  river. 
"  They  are  watching  and  they  will  get  me  unless  I  can 
get  into  New  York  —  understand  me?"  and  the  man 
caught  Allan  by  the  shoulder,  "  unless  I  can  get  into 
New  York  —  into  New  York  with  other  clothes!  Do 
you  understand  ?  —  with  other  clothes" 

"  I  haven't  any  clothes  for  you,"  stammered  Allan. 

"  You  haven't,  hey  ?  Stand  up,"  and  the  man 
enforced  his  order  by  half  lifting  Allan  to  his  feet. 

At  this  Allan  saw  that,  although  the  man  had  a 
large  head,  he  was  no  taller  than  himself,  and  wasted 
by  imprisonment,  hunger,  and  exposure. 

"  No  clothes,  hey  ?  "  pursued  the  man,  with  some 
thing  that  seemed  almost  like  a  smile.  "  No  clothes  ? 

—  the  very  thing  !   Quick  now,  the  fog  helps.   Quick  !  " 
"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  demanded  Allan,  who  began 

to  understand  painfully  well  what  the  man  did  mean, 
and  who  also  had  begun  to  cast  about  for  some  plan 
of  defence.  McConnell  crouched  in  the  stern,  stupe 
fied.  The  Arabella  had  drifted,  and  the  untethered 
skiff  with  it,  out  of  sight  of  the  shore.  They  were 
shut  in  by  the  fog. 

"  Quick,  I  tell  you  !  "  cried  the  man,  wrenching  at 
Allan's  jacket  until  it  had  been  removed.  "  Now  the 
sweater  and  the  trousers.  If  I  have  to  speak  again,  I 
will  speak  with  these,"  and  the  man  shook  his  thin 
hands  in  Allan's  face. 

It  was  an  extraordinary  sight  that  McConnell  saw, 

—  the  boy  and  the  man  exchanging  clothes  there  in 
the  boat ;  for  Allan  mechanically  lifted  the  clothes  the 
man  threw  from  him  and  drew  them  on.     On  so  cool 
a  morning  there  was  no  room  for  debate.      Excited  as 
he  was,  Allan  could   not  but  foresee,  with    the    boat 
adrift,  that  some  action  would  soon  become  necessary, 


230  Captain  Kodak. 

and  the  necessity  for  action  would  preclude  dressing  in 
a  blanket. 

"  Good  !  "  grunted  the  man,  then  he  gave  a  start  at 
the  sound  of  a  shout.  It  was  Owen  calling  through 
the  fog.  "  I  see,"  he  said,  "  one  of  you  was  ashore." 

Allan  nodded.  He  guessed  by  the  sound  of  Owen's 
voice  that  the  tide  had  carried  them  some  distance, 
but  it  was  impossible  now  to  tell  from  which  direction 
the  voice  came. 

"  Quick  !  "  said  the  husky  voice  of  the  man,  "  you 
can  join  the  other  one.  I  want  this  boat." 

"How?"  faltered  Allan,  whose  horror  had  been 
succeeded  by  a  growing  anger. 

"  The  skiff,"  said  the  man.  "  There  it  is.  If  you 
waste  a  minute  I'll  pitch  you  both  overboard  !  "  As 
he  said  this,  he  made  a  stroke  with  the  oar  and  soon 
brought  the  Arabella  close  to  the  skiff.  Then  he 
dropped  the  oar,  clambered  to  the  stern,  McConnell 
making  way  for  him,  and  reached  for  the  boat  with  his 
hand.  "  Jump  in  !  "  he  cried. 

Allan  had  watched  every  movement  with  lips  drawn, 
his  heart  beating  high.  To  give  up  the  Arabella^  their 
cameras,  and  outfit  without  a  struggle  was  more  than 
he  could  bear.  To  see  the  man  drop  the  oar  had  been 
a  great  surprise.  It  gave  him  a  moment  of  hope,  and 
when  the  man  reached  for  the  boat  he  saw  his  chance, 
and  springing  with  all  his  force  he  pushed  the  convict 
over  the  stern  into  the  river. 

"McConnell  —  the  sail  !"  he  yelled,  and  grasping 
the  oar  gave  a  couple  of  quick  splashes  in  the  water 
that  put  the  Arabella  out  of  the  man's  reach  when  he 
had  risen  to  the  surface,  spluttering  and  cursing. 

McConnell  had  started  forward  to  the  lifts.  Allan 
followed  and  they  gave  several  quick  hauls  together, 


An   Unexpected  Visitor.  231 

enough  to  lift  the  gaff  five  or  six  feet.      The  sail  indi- 

O  O 

cated  that  there  was  almost  no  wind. 

Allan  sprang  back  to  the  oar  and  called  to  McConnell 
to  make  the  lines  fast  and  get  at  the  other  oar.  The 
man  had  climbed  into  the  skiff  and  Allan  saw  him 
crouching  in  the  bow  paddling  furiously  with  his  hands 
—  a  means  of  propulsion  which  evidently  he  had  prac 
tised  in  effecting  his  escape.  His  face  now  wore  a 
frightful  expression. 

The  sight  of  the  fury  in  the  man's  eyes  gave  energy 
to  the  paddle  stroke  which  Allan  applied  to  his  oar. 
They  drew  away  three  yards,  four  yards,  five  yards, 
from  the  skiff.  McConnell's  oar  now  joined  on  the 
port  side  of  the  Arabella ;  but  the  man  paddled  with  a 
dreadful  steadiness,  fixing  his  upturned  eyes  upon  them 
and  cursing  in  his  husky  voice. 

Then  McConnell's  foot  slipped,  he  stumbled  in  the 
boat,  and  his  oar  went  overboard.  Allan  made  a  quick 
reach  with  his  own  oar  but  could  not  catch  the  drifting 
blade,  without  turning  the  boat.  In  a  few  moments 
the  convict  would  have  the  lost  oar. 

Again  Allan  sprang  to  the  sail.  "  All  the  way  up, 
McConnell ! "  he  cried,  and  they  tugged  at  the  lines, 
the  blood  in  their  faces.  Twice  the  throat  of  the  gaff 
hitched ;  but  at  last  the  sail  rose  full  and  free,  and 
flapped  in  the  faint  wind. 

"  Hold  her  this  way  !  "  exclaimed  Allan  to  McCon 
nell,  and  loosened  the  sheet. 

The  man  had  the  oar.  They  would  have  known 
this  without  looking,  for  they  could  hear  frantic 
splashing  in  the  water.  Allan  added  desperate  strokes 
of  his  own  oar  to  the  pull  of  the  sail.  If  the  wind  died, 
they  were  lost.  The  man  in  the  skiff  would  have  an 
immense  advantage  the  moment  the  sail  ceased  to 


2,3  2  Captain  Kodak. 

draw.  Allan  fancied  that  the  convict  was  calculating  on 
this  chance. 

Partly  because  of  the  oar,  and  partly  because  the 
fog  left  them  no  guide  as  to  direction,  the  Arabella 
crossed  the  wind  and  the  boom  swung  to  the  other  side, 
tangling  the  sheet  in  the  tiller  and  throwing  Allan 
across  McConnell's  knees.  While  they  struggled  with 
the  lines  they  lost  much  of  their  headway,  and  they 
could  hear  a  husky  yell  from  the  man  as  he  gained 
upon  them.  But  the  accident  told  good  news.  It 
told  of  a  puff  of  wind,  and  when  the  sail  had  filled  on 
the  other  side  with  the  wind  astern,  the  Arabella 
very  soon  led  very  rapidly  in  the  race. 

"  We  are  getting  away  !  "  cried  McConnell.  They 
were  the  first  words  he  had  said. 

The  skiff  and  the  convict  grew  dim  in  the  fog. 

"We  have  beat  him!"  ejaculated  Allan.  "He's 
welcome  to  the  oar ;  I  don't  want  to  see  him  caught. 
But  I  didn't  want  him  to  take  the  Arabella  —  and 
everything." 

"  I  was  afraid  we  were  goners  when  I  lost  the  oar," 
said  McConnell. 

They  strained  their  eyes  through  the  fog,  but  could 
see  no  trace  of  their  pursuer.  Yet  Allan  did  not  feel 
that  they  were  safe  from  him  unless  he  could  keep  the 
wind  astern,  and  thus  be  as  sure  as  was  possible  that 
they  would  not  cross  his  track  in  the  fog. 

For  fifteen  minutes  Allan  kept  the  Arabella  with  the 
wind,  utterly  uncertain  of  their  direction. 

All  about  them  was  the  gray,  still  mist  that  filled 
the  boys  with  a  strange  sense  of  mystery. 

Overhead  the  mist  was  silvery,  as  if  the  sun  was 
threatening  to  come  through ;  yet  when  they  looked 
on  either  side  of  the  boat  the  veil  was  impenetrable. 


An   Unexpected  Visitor.  233 

"  Did  you  hear  something  ?  "  asked  McConnell. 

"  No,  what  was  it  like  ?" 

"  Like  a  boat  whistle." 

Allan's  face  changed.  Yes,  he  could  hear  the  sound 
himself.  It  was  distant,  but  he  could  discern  the  deep- 
throated  note  of  a  large  river  steamer. 

"  What  can  we  do  ?  "  asked  McConnell,  with  a  new 
anxiety. 

"  I  don't  see  what  we  can  do.  I  don't  know 
whether  we  are  going  across  or  down  the  river,  and  I 
can't  tell  from  which  direction  the  sound  is  coming." 

The  whistle  could  now  be  heard  distinctly  every  few 
moments,  and  presently  they  decided  that  it  was  astern. 
"  In  that  case,"  said  Allan,  "we  are  going  down  the 
river,  for  that  must  be  one  of  the  delayed  night  boats, 
and  it  will  be  best  for  us  to  keep  to  the  west.  We 
couldn't  have  gone  far  enough  out  to  get  into  the  track 
of  the  steamers."  The  course  of  the  Arabella  was 
turned  slightly  to  starboard,  and  then  the  boys 
were  thrown  into  new  confusion  by  finding  that  the 
whistle  was  sounded  on  the  port  side.  The  pumble 
of  the  paddle  had  grown  very  distinct. 

Allan  turned  the  Arabella  farther  to  the  starboard, 
drawing  in  the  sheet. 

"  We  must  make  some  noise  — -  all  the  noise  we 
can,"  said  Allan;  "it  will  be  better  than  any  signal. 
They  would  never  see  us  in  time."  Thereupon  Allan 
took  two  of  their  pans  and  began  clashing  them  to 
gether  as  violently  as  he  could.  McConnell  took  two 
flat  pieces  of  wood  from  the  bottom  of  the  boat  and 
produced  sounds  like  pistol  shots  by  clapping  them 
together.  But  the  rumble  of  the  paddle  wheels  grew 
louder,  until  Allan  began  straining  his  eyes  for  a  sight 
of  the  approaching  danger.  He  had  never  fancied  it 


234  Captain  Kodak. 

could  be  so  difficult  to  tell  the  direction  from  which 
sound  came  in  a  fog. 

"  They  hear  us  !  "  shouted  Allan. 

Several  quick  blasts  came  from  the  steamer  whistle, 
the  paddles  turned  slower,  and  then  stopped.  At  the 
same  moment  the  bow  of  a  steamer  seemed  suddenly 
to  grow  out  of  nothing  within  a  hundred  feet  of  them, 
and  the  whistle  was  giving  a  resounding  roar. 

"  They  are  passing  us  —  it's  all  right !  "  cried  Allan, 
with  an  excited  laugh.  Indeed,  the  paddles  had 
started  again. 

"  Now  for  the  shore." 

"  Which  shore  ?  "  asked  McConnell. 

"  The  west  shore.  We  couldn't  risk  going  across 
yet."  Allan,  with  the  hint  offered  by  the  wake  of 
the  steamer,  turned  the  Arabella  so  as  to  head  south 
west.  As  nearly  as  he  could  guess,  this  was  at  right 
angles  to  the  course  he  had  established  in  getting 
away  from  the  convict. 

It  was  not  until  he  had  left  the  two  dangers  behind 
him  that  Allan  began  to  think  of  the  plight  he  was 
in.  Then  he  laughed,  and  McConnell  joined  him. 

"  Don't  you  want  to  sit  for  your  picture  ?  "  asked 
McConnell. 

"  No,  thank  you.  I  don't  think  I  want  to  see 
myself  in  a  striped  suit,  even  for  fun.  I  must  get 
you  to  hunt  up  some  one  who  will  send  word  to 
Hazenfield,  even  if  I  can't  go  myself." 

The  wind  drew  a  little  stronger,  and  Allan  began 
to  think  that  the  fog  was  lifting.  It  had  grown 
sufficiently  thin  to  justify  him  in  running  straight 
for  shore. 

"  Go  to  the  bow,"  Allan  said  to  McConnell,  "  and 
yell  when  you  see  anything." 


An   Unexpected  Visitor. 


235 


They  both  watched  eagerly  for  the  shore,  but  it  was 
nearly  ten  minutes  later  that  McConnell  shouted,  "  A 
dock ! " 

They  would  have  crashed  into  it  in  a  few  moments. 
Allan  swung  the  Arabella  and  ran  the  boat  up  under 
the  lee  of  the  dock. 

It  was  a  small  private  dock  adjoining  a  boat-house. 
Making  fast  to  one  of  the  rings,  the  boys  climbed  out. 

Allan  looked  down 
at  his  clothes.  "  I 
wonder  what  an-y  one 
would  think  of  this  ?  " 

McConnell  laughed. 
"  You'll  have  to  ex 
plain,"  he  said. 

The  boys  turned  up 
the  dock,  and  they  had 
scarcely  done  so  when 
a  man  stepped  from 
behind  the  boat-house 
and  caught  Allan  by 
the  shoulder. 

"  No,  you  don't !  " 
said  the  man,  "  no 
convicts  here,  please. 
If  this  don't  beat  all  ! 
Mike  !  "  And  the 
man  shouted  again,  un 
til  another  man  came 
strolling  from  beyond  the  boat-house.  At  the  sight  of 
Allan,  Mike  stopped,  and  his  jaw  dropped.  "  Holy 

saints!" 

"  I  don't  mind  yer  gettin'  away,"  said  the  first  manj 
"  but  makin'  use  of  us  is  too  much — too  much,  I  say." 


Allan  looked  down  at  his  clothes." 


23 6  Captain  Kodak. 

"  I'm  not  a  convict,"  said  Allan,  "I  — " 

"  Of  course  not,"  said  Allan's  custodian,  "  of  course 
yer  innocent.  You  all  are." 

"You  don't  understand,"  said  Allan;  "a  man  es 
caped  and  I  —  " 

"  Yes,  and  you  couldn't  resist  keeping  him  com 
pany.  Right  you  are,  my  boy,  and  I  suppose  I'd  do 
it  myself  if  I  was  in  your  shoes  ;  but  I'm  not,  and 
I'm  goin'  to  keep  my  conscience  clear.  I'll  hand  you 
over  and  save  all  trouble.  And  yer  only  a  kind  of 
kid,  after  all." 

"You're  making  a  break,"  spoke  up  McConnell; 
"  he's  no  convict.  He  had  a  fight  with  one,  and  he  —  " 

"Now  you  keep  quiet,  young  feller,"  said  Mike. 
"Don't  complain  to  us.  You  don't  suppose  we're 
goin'  to  git  ourselves  in  a  scrape,  do  yer  ?  " 

"  What's  this  ?  "  demanded  a  voice. 

"  An  escaped  Sing  Sing  man,  sir,"  said  Mike. 

"  A  what  ?  —  dear  me  !  "  said  the  voice. 

Allan  and  McConnell  had  started  at  the  first  sound 
of  the  voice.  When  they  saw  its  owner,  their  suspi 
cions  were  confirmed.  It  was  Mr.  Prenwood. 

"  Dear  me  !  a  convict !  "  continued  Mr.  Prenwood. 
"  Why,  it's  not  a  man  at  all ;  it's  only  a  boy  —  " 

"  Mr.  Prenwood  !  "  cried  Allan,  "  don't  you  know 
us?" 

"  Know  you  ? "  stammered  Mr.  Prenwood,  step 
ping  closer. 

"Don't  you  remember — Coney  Island?"  inter 
posed  McConnell. 

"Why  —  upon  my  soul  —  yes,  you — you  are  the 
kodak  boys  !  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Allan,  "  we  were  attacked  by  a  convict, 
and  he  forced  me  to  give  him  my  clothes,  and  so  —  " 


No,  you  don't!  '  said  the  man." 


An   Unexpected  Visitor.  239 

"  And  so  you  had  to  take  his  !  Yes,  yes.  Blick- 
ens,"  said  Mr.  Prenwood  to  the  man  who  had  first 
encountered  Allan,  "  you've  got  the  shadow ;  the  sub 
stance  has  escaped." 

The  man  laughed.     "  I  never  knowed,  sir." 

"  Come  into  the  house,"  said  Mr.  Prenwood,  who 
was  laughing  a  little  to  himself.  "  Well,  well !  I 
never  expected  to  see  you  this  way,  Mr.  Allan  H artel. 
You  see,  I  remember  your  name.  And  I'm  glad  to 
see  you  again.  And  what  a  monster  this  convict 
must  have  been  to  treat  you  so  !  Though  I  suppose 
you  got  off  very  well.  Tell  me  all  about  it.  Mili- 
cent,"  Mr.  Prenwood  now  spoke  to  a  lady  who  stood 
on  the  porch.  "  Don't  be  frightened.  This  is  not  a 
convict,  but  only  a  boy  who  was  attacked  by  one ; 
and  these  are  boys  I  met  last  month  at  Coney  Island. 
And  I  know  they  are  hungry.  Won't  you  get  us  up 
something  nice  ?  " 

Allan  expostulated  that  he  was  not  hungry,  that  he 
only  was  anxious  to  get  home  as  soon  as  possible,  or 
at  least  to  have  word  sent  to  Hazenfield. 

"  Blickens,"  called  Mr.  Prenwood,  "get  things 
ready  on  the  launch.  The  fog  is  lifting,  and  I  shall 
want  these  boys  and  the  cat-boat  towed  over  to  Hazen 
field  in  half  an  hour.  Meanwhile,  Allan,  I'm  going 
to  get  you  some  clothes  and  make  you  comfortable. 
Come  upstairs  and  let  me  see  if  I  can't  fit  you  out 
while  they  are  getting  that  bite  ready  for  you.  You 
don't  look  exactly  right  to  me.  Did  that  brute  hurt 

3   » 

you  r 

Allan  said  the  man  had  not  hurt  him,  but  admitted 
that  he  had  not  been  feeling  just  right  since  he  met 
with  the  accident  on  the  bluff  the  day  before. 

"  I   knew  it.     I   knew  you   weren't  right."     Allan 


Captain   Kodak. 

went  on  with  his  story  while  Mr.  Prenwood  rum 
maged  in  a  closet  and  several  trunks.  "  You  see  this 
is  Sunday,"  continued  Mr.  Prenwood.  "You  couldn't 
go  home  on  a  Sunday  without  looking  trim  and  nice. 
There  — slip  into  these  things.  I  guess  that  shirt 

will  fit  you." 

Though  they  were  both  too  greatly  upset  to  cat 
much,  the  boys  made  an  effort  to  do  justice  to  Mr. 
Prenwood's  hospitality,  and  were  delighted  by  his 

cordial  talk. 

As  he  walked  with  them  to  the  dock,  Mr.  Pren 
wood  said  he  knew  Owen  would  get  home  all  right, 
somehow,  and  he  made  the  boys  promise  to  come  and 

see  him. 

Blickens  sat  in  the  launch.      :c  I'm  sorry  J.   was  so 

rough,"  said  Blickens. 

"  I  didn't  think  you  were  so  rough,"  said  Allan, 
reassuringly,  as  he  stowed  the  convict's  clothes  in  the 
Arabella. 

"  A  souvenir  ?  "  laughed  Mr.  Prenwood. 

Allan  explained  that  he  had  made  up  his  mind  to 
hand  the  clothes  over  to  Detective  Dobbs.  :<  He 
owns  the  Arabella"  said  Allan,  "  and  we  can  go  right 
to  his  dock." 

"  I  understand,"  said  Mr.  Prenwood.  Make  the 
best  time  you  can,  Blickens.  You  see  you  are  to  take 
him  to  a  detective  after  all." 

Blickens  looked  rather  uncomfortable.  He  did  his 
utmost  to  make  things  right  with  Allan.  The  Ara 
bella  was  made  fast  to  the  launch  by  a  long  line,  the 
boys  taking  their  seats  in  the  launch. 

Mr.  Prenwood  waved  his  hand,  and  shouted  a 
cheery  good-by  as  the  launch  and  cat-boat  slid  out  into 
the  river. 


XVII. 


WINTER    DAYS. 


M' 


'R.  PRENWOOD'S 

launch  carried  Al 
lan    and     McCon- 
nell,     with     the     Arabella 
astern,  swiftly  southeast  to 
Hazenfield. 

Blickens  was  very  talka 
tive  on  the  journey.  It 
was  evident  that  he  wished 
to  atone  for  that  which  had 
happened  at  Stonyshore ; 
and  Allan  felt  so  little  re 
sentment  for  what  had  hap 
pened  that  he  earnestly 
urged  Blickens  to  come  to 
the  Hartel  house  for  din 
ner.  "  Then,"  said  Allan,  "  I  can  send  back  these 
clothes  by  you." 

But  Blickens  could  not  be  persuaded  to  stay.  "  I'll 
wait  here  for  the  clothes,  if  you  want  me  to,"  said 
Blickens  at  Detective  Dobbs's  landing;  "though  I 
don't  believe  Mr.  Prenwood  expects  you  to  bother 
sending  them  back." 

Since  Blickens  did  not  seem  to  be  willing  to  accept  the 
invitation,  Allan  said  that  he  himself  would  return  the 
R  241 


242  Captain  Kodak. 

clothes  later,  so  that  Blickens  need  not  feel  compelled 
to  wait.  Blickens  said  he  hoped  there  would  be  no 
hard  feelings,  and  shook  hands  good-by. 

The  boys  were  mooring  the  Arabella  when  Detective 
Dobbs  came  down  the  path  with  Sporty. 

"  Ship  ahoy  !  "  he  called.  "  How  many  whales  did 
you  catch  ?  " 

"  We  caught  a  very  unexpected  fish,"  said  Allan. 
"  There's  his  skin,"  and  he  tossed  ashore  the  convict's 
clothes. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  demanded  Dobbs,  picking 
up  the  clothes.  "  This  is  a  Sing  Sing  suit." 

Allan  hurried  ashore  and  as  quickly  as  he  could  out 
lined  to  Dobbs  the  meeting  with  the  Ghost  and  what 
followed. 

Dobbs  uttered  an  exclamation  of  astonishment.  "  Of 
course,  you  don't  know  in  what  direction  he  went  — 
everybody  has  been  after  him  for  three  days." 

"  We  left  him  behind  in  the  fog  ;  but  he  said  he 
wanted  to  get  to  New  York." 

"  But  he  only  had  one  oar." 

"  Your  other  oar." 

"  What  color  was  your  jacket  —  and  the  sweater  ?  " 

Allan  described  the  clothes  the  convict  had  taken, 
and  Dobbs  waited  to  hear  no  more.  In  six  minutes 
Dobbs  was  at  the  station  talking  to  police  headquar 
ters  in  New  York.  In  twenty  minutes  every  police 
station  near  the  Hudson,  from  the  Battery  to  Sing  Sing, 
had  a  description  of  the  clothes  the  Ghost  wore,  with 
information  as  to  the  skiff  and  the  single  oar.  The 
police  everywhere  already  had  a  full  description  of  the 
man. 

"  I  almost  hope  they  don't  catch  him,"  said  Allan, 
as  he  and  McConnell  hurried  inland  from  the  river. 


Winter   Days.  243 

"I  don't  know  what  I  hope,"  confessed  McConnell. 
<f  When  I  think  of  his  knocking  your  head  against  the 
centre-board,  I  want  to  have  him  caught.  When  I 
think  of  how  hungry  he  looked,  and  how  thin  his 
hands  were,  I  want  him  to  get  away." 

"  I  wonder  how  Owen  will  get  home  ? "  Allan 
queried.  "It  almost  seems  as  if  we  should  have  tried 
to  find  him  ;  though  I'm  quite  sure  he  has  walked 
south  and  will  get  across  the  river  somehow." 

Both  McConnell  and  Allan  found  an  anxious  wel 
come  awaiting  them  at  home.  The  Doctor  had  assured 
Mrs.  Hartel  and  Edith  that  the  boys  had  prudently 
anchored  when  the  storm  came  up,  and  that  they  would 
be  home  as  soon  as  the  fog  lifted ;  yet  both  mother 
and  cousin  had  worried  greatly,  and  even  little  Ellen 
had  made  many  inquiries  as  to  why  Allan  did  not  come 
home. 

It  may  be  supposed  that  Allan's  recital  found  highly 
interested  listeners ;  that  a  hundred  questions  were 
asked;  that  some  of  them  were  answered;  that  Allan 
did  not  eat  much  dinner. 

Allan  insisted  that  he  only  was  worrying  about 
Owen.  In  the  afternoon,  at  about  three  o'clock,  Owen 
walked  in  to  say  that  he  had  been  home  for  a  couple 
of  hours.  It  appeared  that  after  calling  hopelessly 
into  the  fog,  and  waiting  in  the  vicinity  of  the  anchor 
age  for  half  an  hour,  Owen  made  up  his  mind  that  the 
Arabella  would  have  no  chance  of  making  the  same 
point  again  while  the  fog  lasted.  He  then  turned  back, 
and  finding  his  way  to  Alexander  Hamilton  made  in 
quiry  of  him  as  to  the  nearest  way  to  the  highroad, 
and  was  about  making  his  way  inland  when  a  freight 
train  on  the  West  Shore  road  hove  in  sight.  The  train 
halted  at  a  near-by  switch,  and  Owen  so  successfully 


244  Captain   Kodak. 

made  friends  with  a  man  in  the  caboose  that  he  was 
invited  to  get  aboard.  Three  miles  south  he  slipped 
off  the  train  at  Boughton,  got  a  boat  from  a  man 
he  knew  at  the  landing,  and  rowed  across  to  Hazen- 
field. 

"  And  so  you  see,"  said  Owen,  "  I  got  out  of  the 
scrape  easier  than  you  did." 

Despite  the  Doctor's  questions,  Allan  continued  to 
insist  that  he  felt  all  right,  that  he  would  be  all  right 
in  a  little  while  —  or  the  next  day  anyway.  Yet  his 
confidence  was  not  justified.  On  the  following  day  the 
Doctor  betrayed  by  his  looks  that  he  did  not  find 
Allan  to  be  very  well.  He  forbade  him  to  do  any 
developing  for  a  day  or  two  longer,  and  kept  him  away 
from  the  Academy. 

At  the  end  of  a  week  Allan  was  down  with  a  fever, 
and  the  autumn  colors,  the  stately  river,  the  faces  of 
his  friends,  the  walls  of  the  club  rooms,  all  faded  away 
in  a  troubled  sleep ;  and  other  weeks  passed,  and 
there  were  anxious  faces  at  his  bedside,  and  his 
father  would  sit  holding  his  hand  and  looking  fixedly 
at  him  in  the  dim  light  of  the  sick  chamber  ;  and  his 
head  was  very  queer  and  heavy  and  hot,  so  that  the 
ice  felt  like  an  angel's  hand.  And  he  asked  them  to 
be  sure  that  the  focus  was  right  and  that  the  shutter 
had  been  set,  ordered  McConnell  to  pull  in  on  the  sheet, 
and  Owen  to  hand  up  the  camera  carefully. 

"  I  tell  you,  mother,"  he  said  one  day  to  Mrs. 
Hartel,  his  eyes  glistening,  "I've  thought  over  the 
finest  way  to  develop  films !  They  have  never 
thought  of  it !  Why,  it's  dead  easy  !  All  you  have 
to  do  is  soak  the  film  in  —  in  —  there,  I've  —  I've 
forgotten  just  what  it  was,  but  —  oh,  it's  very  easy.' 
I'll  have  great  fun  showing  them  at  the  club." 


Winter   Days.  245 

It  was  difficult  to  keep  him  from  talking  about 
cameras  and  expeditions  and  new  developers. 

One  day  he  said,  "  It's  funny  that  Owen  doesn't  get 
back.  But  I  suppose  he's  living  with  Alexander 
Hamilton  —  poor  old  man!  You  had  better  send 
over  and  get  Owen.  If  it  hadn't  been  for  the  fog  — 
how  foggy  it  is  again  !  " 

Owen  came  every  day  to  ask  about  his  chum's  con 
dition  ;  and  McConnell,  who  was  pitifully  upset,  never 
could  understand  why  he  was  forbidden  to  see  Allan, 
or  to  help  take  care  of  him. 

There  were  many  inquirers, —  Major  Mines,  Miss 
Manston,  Mr.  Thornton,  Mrs.  Creigh,  and  other  mem 
bers  of  the  Camera  Club,  and  Detective  Dobbs  often 
called  in. 

It  was  one  afternoon  in  late  November  that  Allan, 
lying  very  still  and  quiet,  with  his  eyes  fixed  on  the 
wall  at  the  foot  of  his  bed,  where  there  was  a  picture 
of  the  monks  of  St.  Bernard  with  their  dogs,  said, 
suddenly,  to  his  mother, — 

"  Did  they  catch  the  Ghost  ?  " 

At  first,  Mrs.  Hartel  thought  the  question  was  but 
another  rambling  question  incident  to  the  abating 
fever,  and  was  about  to  utter  one  of  the  evasive  replies 
that  are  offered  to  fevered  invalids,  when  something 
in  Allan's  face  made  her  understand  that  he  was  com 
ing  out  of  that  long  dream  into  which  his  mind  had 
fallen.  Then  she  answered  him  quite  truthfully:  — 

"  No.     They  have  not  found  him,  Allan." 

"  Good  !  I  believe  now  that  I  wanted  him  to  get 
away." 

"  But  you  must  not  worry  about  that." 

"  How  many  days'  start  has  he  had  ?  " 

"  He  has  had  just  a  month." 


246  Captain  Kodak. 

"A  month  ?  "  Allan  turned  his  eyes  to  his  mother. 
She  did  not  seem  to  be  joking.  "  A  month  ?  " 

His  mother  came  over  and  stroked  his  hair.  "  Yes, 
a  month  —  a  long  month.  And  my  boy  has  had  a 
very  long  sleep." 

"  Why  didn't  you  wake  me  ?  "  Allan  asked.  "  I 
see,"  he  said,  looking  into  his  mother's  tired  but  cheer 
ful  eyes, ."  I  see,  I  have  been  sick.  Oh,  I  know  it 
now  !  I  can  remember  that  the  queerest  things  were 
going  on  in  my  head !  One  day  I  think  it  seemed  to 
be  a  camera,  and  the  lens  was  red  hot,  somehow,  and 
somebody  —  who  was  it?  —  was  pulling  the  bellows 
out  too  far.  Great  Scott !  I  thought  they  would 
break  it." 

"  But  you  must  not  talk  any  more,  now,"  urged  his 
mother. 

And  he  lay  there  for  half  an  hour  without  speak 
ing. 

Then  he  asked :  "  Did  Owen  get  back  all  right  ?  " 

"  Yes,  soon  after  you  did." 

The  next  day  he  tried  for  a  long  time  to  remember 
the  wonderful  plan  he  had  dreamed  of  for  developing 
films,  but  he  could  not  recall  the  particular  formula 
upon  which  the  superiority  of  the  plan  rested.  Per 
haps,  he  thought,  it  would  come  back  to  him. 

It  was  early  in  December  that  McConnell  and 
Owen  were  permitted  to  come  in  and  see  him,  and 
McConnell  came  in  every  day  after  that.  There  had 
been  an  early  snow,  and  the  boys  had  proofs  of 
some  snow  scenes  which  proved  to  be  immensely 
entertaining  to  Allan.  Owen's  glimpses  of  winter 
trees  and  snow-silvered  bushes  suggested  many  things 
that  he  himself  had  planned  to  make  when  winter 
came. 


"  McConnell  came  in  every  day  after  that." 


Winter  Days.  249 

"  I  shall  soon  be  out,"  he  told  the  boys,  "  and  then 
I  want  to  begin  right  away  on  some  winter  things." 
McConnell  came  in  every  day  after  that. 

Detective  Dobbs  on  his  first  visit  to  Allan  brought 
a  batch  of  pictures  he  had  made  of  Sporty.  "  I  don't 
have  time  to  develop,"  said  Dobbs,  "  so  I  let  them 
'  do  the  rest '  for  me  now.  As  soon  as  you  get  well," 
continued  Dobbs,  "  I  think  the  club  is  going  to  have 
an  exhibition ;  they  have  been  talking  about  it  for 
some  time." 

Allan  thought  this  was  a  capital  idea.  A  plan  for  a 
frame  big  enough  to  hold  some  of  his  most  successful 
pictures  gave  him  something  pleasant  to  think  about 
for  a  whole  day. 

But  he  grew  impatient  to  get  about,  and  as  Decem 
ber  dragged  along  his  resentment  against  the  long 
convalescence  grew  deeper.  It  was  not  until  Christ 
mas  Day  that  he  came  down  to  dinner.  There  were 
several  little  surprises  for  him,  in  addition  to  the 
Christmas  morning  surprises,  that  had  been  carried  up 
to  his  room. 

The  dinner  seemed  to  be  in  his  honor,  for  the  big 
cake  had  a  frosted  camera  on  the  top,  and  "  Captain 
Kodak"  in  fantastic  letters.  In  the  middle  of  the 
cake  was  a  miniature  imitation  of  a  dark-room  lamp 
with  a  candle  burning  inside. 

Soon  after  dinner  Mr.  Thornton  and  McConnell 
came  in  with  a  large  leather  portfolio  and  a  fine  mag 
nifying  glass,  which  the  members  of  the  club  had  sent 
to  Allan.  "We  all  are  very  glad  you  are  getting 
well,"  said  Mr.  Thornton.  "The  club  will  be  happy 
to  greet  its  President  again." 

"Speech!"  cried  McConnell. 

But    Allan    could    only    say,    "Thank    you,    Mr. 


250  Captain  Kodak. 

Thornton,"  and  sit  down  again  quickly.  His  head 
was  not  very  strong  yet,  he  afterward  confessed. 

They  had  a  great  night  at  the  club  when  Allan  did 
get  back,  and  plans  for  an  exhibition  were  talked  over 
in  earnest.  There  was  so  large  an  attendance  of  mem 
bers  that  there  was  talk,  too,  of  new  club  rooms, 
though  Major  Mines  and  Mrs.  Creigh  said  they 
wouldn't  give  up  the  present  quarters  for  the  most 
sumptuous  club  outfit  that  could  be  devised. 

The  club  exhibition  took  place  in  January,  and  it 
proved  an  exceedingly  interesting  affair.  Several  of  the 
members  had  surprises  to  present  —  pictures  which  no 
one  had  been  permitted  to  see.  Among  these  were 
amusing  trophies  of  the  Central  Park  trip,  and  of  the 
first  country  walk  of  the  club.  There  were  enlarge 
ments,  beautiful  bits  in  toned  bromide  paper,  platinum 
prints,  one  or  two  gems  in  carbon,  and  to  show  what 
could  be  done  with  simple  materials,  Mr.  Thornton 
had  a  series  of  "  blue  prints  "  daintily  mounted. 

Allan  was  not  exactly  satisfied  with  the  framing  of 
his  prints,  and  wished  he  had  had  time  to  give  more 
attention  to  that.  Owen  and  McConnell  also  made  a 
good  impression.  McConnell's  "  Water-melon  Party  " 
contained  many  familiar  faces.  Then  there  was  Big 
McConnell's  remarkable  picture  of  his  younger  brother. 
Detective  Dobbs  exhibited  his  first  attempts  at  print 
ing.  Six  out  of  the  eight  prints  he  had  framed  with 
great  pride  in  a  gorgeous  gold  frame  (picked  out  by 
Mrs.  Dobbs)  revealed  the  countenance  of  Sporty. 
Major  Mines  had  some  snapshots  from  St.  Augustine 
and  elsewhere.  Miss  Illwin  had  sent  in  a  little  land 
scape,  which  had  no  sooner  been  hung  than  it  began 
to  cause  her  great  misery.  "  For  I  can  see  now,"  she 
said,  "  that  I  should  have  sent  the  other  one." 


"Big  McConnell's  remarkable  picture  of  his  younger  brother." 


Winter  Days. 


253 


"The  club  exhibition  took  place  in  January." 

The  pictures,  which  filled  all  the  available  space  in 
the  club  rooms,  were  displayed  for  a  week.  And 
almost  every  night  during  the  week  there  was  an  un 
usually  large  gathering  at  the  rooms.  On  Saturday 
night  Major  Mines  hung  a  sheet  at  the  head  of  the 
front  room,  and  with  the  aid  of  a  small  stereopticon 
gave  an  exhibition  of  lantern  slides. 

Very  few  of  the  members  had  tried  lantern  slides, 
but  the  Major's  exhibition  resulted  in  many  resolu 
tions  to  make  slides  from  "  pet "  plates.  Another 
result  was  that  a  few  months  later  the  club  bought  a 
stereopticon,  and  two  nights  in  every  month  were 
given  up  to  the  display  of  lantern  pictures.  Allan 
found  great  enjoyment  in  his  lantern-slide  work.  A 


254 


Captain   Kodak. 


"  McConnell's  'Water-melon  Party.'" 

device  which  he  rigged  up  in  the  back  room  was 
soon  in  general  use  by  those  members  who  went  in 
for  slide  making. 

Nothing  looked  more  beautiful  on  the  screen  than 
the  snow  pictures.  The  silvery  tracings  in  the  trees, 
the  sunlight  in  footprints,  the  icicles  in  the  summer 
house,  the  river  ice  pushed  into  pyramids  in  the 
coves,  —  these  and  a  score  of  other  themes  shone 
with  peculiar  naturalness  in  the  light  of  a  lantern. 

Allan  did  not  go  back  to  the  Academy  until  Feb 
ruary,  and  he  had  not  been  long  at  his  school  work 
again  when  news  came  that  the  battle  ship  Maine  had 
been  destroyed  in  the  harbor  of  Havana. 


XVIII. 


ECHOES   OF   WAR. 


i 


SUPPOSE,  Captain," 
said     Dr.     Hartel    to 
Allan,     "that    if    we 
have  war  —  " 

"  If  we  have  war  !  "  cried 
Allan  ;  "  we  must  have  war. 
They  have  blown  up  one 
of  our  battle  ships  !  " 

"  Well,"  said  the  Doctor, 
quietly,  "we  don't  know 
that  yet.  And  I  should 
hardly  say  that  we  must  have 
war.  War  is  a  very  serious 
business." 

"  I    think    we    ought    to 

make  it  very  serious  for  the  other  side,"  insisted  Allan, 
heatedly. 

"  It  would  be  very  serious  for  both  sides,"  said  the 
Doctor.  "  I  was  going  to  say  that  I  supposed  you 
would  want  to  go  to  the  front  with  your  camera. 
There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  of  that." 

:c  I  should  rather  go  with  a  gun,"  said  Allan. 
"  With  your  kodak  on  your  shoulder  ?  " 
"  You  are  making  fun  of  me,  father." 
c<  I  hope  you  don't  wish  me  to  take  you  seriously." 

255 


256  Captain  Kodak. 

"  No,"  interposed  Edith  ;  "  no  one  shall  take  him 
seriously.  The  idea !  If  he  talks  war  like  this,  we'll 
lock  him  up  in  the  dark  room." 

"  With  nothing  to  eat  but  pyro  and  hypo,"  laughed 

Mrs.  Hartel. 

"  Look  out !  "  pursued  the  Doctor,  with  a  twinkle 
in  his  eye,  "  or  the  Captain  may  indignantly  resign  his 
commission." 

"  Anyway,"  said  Allan,  "  if  I  was  a  few  years  older, 
I'd  join  Company  K." 

The  fate  of  the  Maine  and  the  prospect  of  war 
entirely  changed  the  current  of  photographic  enthu 
siasm  at  the  club.  The  boys,  especially,  turned 
unanimously  to  war  themes.  Owen  had  made  some 
pictures  at  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard  when  he  first  had 
his  camera.  He  had  a  picture  of  the  Boston  taking 
coal,  and  another  showing  the  terrible  twin  guns  in  the 
forward  turret  of  the  New  York.  At  the  second  lan 
tern  show  in  February,  Major  Mines  displayed  the 
mechanism  of  some  of  the  rapid-fire  guns,  and  had  a 
capital  plate  showing  the  disappearing  gun  at  Sandy 
Hook.  The  pictures  were  all  quite  warlike  .at  this 
February  meeting. 

At  the  March  meetings  there  came  pictures  of  the 
forts  in  the  harbor,  camera  sketches  by  Mr.  Thornton 
from  the  State  Camp  at  Peekskill  the  year  before,  and 
Mrs.  Creigh's  picture  made  on  the  deck  of  the 

Maine.  . 

Then  came  the  declaration  of  war,  the  thrill  ot 
Dewey's  victory  at  Manila,  the  capture  of  the  first 
sea  prizes,  the  stir  and  excitement  of  recruiting.  Big 
McConnell  joined  Company  K. 

Hazenfield  broke  out  with  all  sorts  of  flags.  Little 
McConnell  boasted  that  he  hoisted  the  first  flag  in  the 


Echoes  of  War. 


257 


town  ;  though  this  seemed  to  be  a  matter  of  debate, 
since  Allan  had  swung  out  the  Hartel  flag  immedi 
ately  after  breakfast  on  reading  of  the  actual  declara 
tion  of  war. 


' '  The  '  sky  scrapers. '  ' ' 

For  the  next  six  months  a  large  proportion  of 
Allan's  pictures  had  flags  in  them.  Indeed,  there 
was  a  great  deal  of  flag  in  everything  for  a  time. 
When  Allan  was  in  New  York  in  July  and  looked  up 
at  the  "sky  scrapers,"  the  sky  seemed  full  of  flags. 


258 


Captain  Kodak. 


Of  course  the  boys  of  the  club  lamented  that  they 
could  not  be  at  the  front.  The  next  best  thing  was 
to  go  to  the  camps  ;  and  this  they  did,  and  found  the 
soldiers  so  accustomed  to  cameras  that  being  photo- 


A  "snap"  at  a  cruiser. 

graphed  seemed  to  cause  them  no  uneasiness  or  resent- 

5      f 

ment  whatever. 

The  chief  trouble,  Allan  found,  was  that  he  had  to 
promise  a  good  many  prints  to  different  soldiers  who 
stood  for  him  or  helped  him  with  groups  and  camp 
scenes.  He  had  learned  that  promising  prints  is  one 
of  the  most  entertaining  features  of  photography,  and 
that  keeping  the  promises  is  one  of  the  most  trouble- 


Echoes  of  War.  259 

some.  However,  a  soldier  seemed  to  deserve  a  print 
if  he  wanted  it,  and  Allan  never  promised  prints  with 
more  of  genuine  willingness  than  during  the  exciting 
weeks  of  the  war. 

It  was  at  the  Hempstead  Camp  that  Allan,  McCon- 
nell,  and  Owen  found  Big  McConnell,  who  had  be 
come  a  corporal,  and  who  was  glad  to  show  the  boys 
around. 

"  I'm  dead  tired  of  this  show,"  grumbled  Big  Mc 
Connell.  "  I  wish  they'd  send  us  somewhere.  The 
rations  are  spoiling  my  naturally  sweet  disposition. 
You  didn't  happen  to  see  the  pie-woman,  did  you,  as 
you  came  in  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Allan. 

"  I'm  looking  for  her  about  now,"  went  on  Big 
McConnell.  "  I  need  pie,  I  do." 

"  Doesn't  the  cook  give  you  pie  once  in  a  while  ?  " 

"Pie?"  shouted  Big  McConnell.     "Well,  I   guess 

O  •*  O 

not.  I  wish  you  could  photograph  the  slush  we  had 
for  dinner.  You  would  need  an  orthochromatic  plate 
and  a  microscopic  lens." 

"  Did  you  finish  the  box  mother  sent  down  ?  " 
asked  Little  McConnell. 

"  Finish  it  ?  "  His  brother  looked  down  in  dra 
matic  disdain.  "  Young  fellow,  I  was  eating  the  nails 
in  the  cover  before  eleven  o'clock  the  next  day." 

"  I  wonder  what  makes  you  so  hungry  ?  "  said  Lit 
tle  McConnell. 

The  Corporal  pointed  across  the  field  where  the 
second  battalion  was  drilling.  "  That,  for  one  thing. 
Did  you  ever  stop  to  think  how  heavy  a  musket  is, 
and  how  many  times  its  weight  doubles  in  an  hour's 
drill  ?  " 

Across    the    company    street    Corporal    Dacey  was 


260 


Captain   Kodak. 


showing   his   cousin  Cora  how  to  hold  a  musket,  and 
they  all  laughed  at  Cora's  brave  attempt  to  ignore  the 

weight  of  the  weapon. 
Over  by  the  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  tent  Big  Mc- 
Connell  found  the  pie- 
woman,  and  they  all 
went  to  work  on  pie 
of  various  denomina 
tions. 

"  What  kind  is 
yours?"  asked  Owen 
of  the  Corporal. 

"  I  don't  know," 
grunted  Big  McCon- 
nell,  his  mouth  full. 
"  All  pie  tastes  alike 
to  me.  What's  the 
Captain  doing  ?  " 

This   meant   Allan, 
who    had   slipped    off 
with  his  camera.      McConnell,  who  went  to  reconnoitre, 
reported  that  Allan  was   taking  a  group   of  soldiers. 
The  Corporal  looked  out.     "  The  old  guard,"  he  said. 
"  What  is  the  '  old  guard '  ?  "  asked  Owen. 
"They  are  changing  the  guard,"  replied  the  Cor 
poral.     "This    is    the  guard  that   has  just  come  off 
duty.     I   shouldn't  think  there  was  light  enough  left 
for  a  picture." 

The  day  had  almost  gone,  and  in  half  an  hour  the 
boys  were  on  the  train  again  on  their  way  back  to 
New  York,  where  the  newsboys  were  shouting  about 
battles,  and  the  papers  had  stupendous  news  eight 
inches  high. 


;  How  to  hold  a  musket." 


Echoes  of  War. 


261 


"  I  hear,"  said  Owen,  "  that  our  smoky  powder  is 
making  it  awfully  hard  for  anybody  to  get  good  bom 
bardment  pictures." 

Allan  thought  it  would  be  hard  to  report  a  bom 
bardment  from  the  ship  that  was  doing  the  bombard 
ing.  "  But  I  can't  see,"  he  said,  "  why  they  shouldn't 
get  good  shots  from  the  boats  that  were  looking  on." 

"  I  tell  you  what  I'd  like  to  have  had,"  said  Mc- 
Connell,  "and  that  was  a  good  chance  at  that  Ma- 
tanzas  mule  when  the  shell  hit  him  !  " 


"  'The  old  guard." 

Both  Allan  and  McConnell  were  greatly  interested 
in  the  war-ships,  and  read  news  of  their  doings  with 
particular  attention.  When  the  victorious  ships  of 
Sampson's  fleet  returned  northward,  the  club  hired  a 
launch  and  went  down  the  river  to  see  and  picture 
the  inspiriting  naval  parade.  The  scenes  in  the  bay 
and  up  the  river  to  Grant's  tomb  furnished  material 
for  one  of  the  most  beautiful  lantern  displays  the 
club  ever  held. 

Allan  determined  to  make  a  special  trip  to  see  and 


262  Captain  Kodak. 

to  photograph  the  Oregon,  of  which  he  was  a  great 
admirer,  because  "  the  bull-dog  of  the  navy  "  seemed 
to  embody  so  much  of  what  was  most  American  in 
the  United  States  battle  ships.  When  the  Oregon  and 
Iowa  afterward  came  out  of  dry  dock,  and  were  or 
dered  away  to  Manila,  Allan  and  McConnell  started 
off  early  one  morning  for  Tompkinsville,  Staten  Island, 
off  which  town  the  war-ships  were  to  anchor. 

It  happened,  however,  that  the  Iowa  had  not  yet 
come  into  the  bay,  though  the  Brooklyn  was  there,  and 
the  boys  recognized  the  graceful  prow  of  the  Gloucester, 
the  plucky  little  converted  yacht  that  had  figured  so 
prominently  and  creditably  at  the  sinking  of  Cervera's 
fleet. 

It  was  the  Oregon,  however,  that  the  boys  most 
wished  to  see  more  of,  and  to  photograph  at  close 
quarters. 

The  boatmen  at  Tompkinsville  had  been  charging 
high  prices  since  the  fighting  ships  had  anchored  off 
shore,  and  the  boys  were  a  little  discouraged  in  their 
first  inquiries. 

In  the  midst  of  their  discouragement  a  sailorish- 
looking  man  on  one  of  the  docks  asked  them  if  they 
wanted  a  cheap  boat.  This  was  precisely  what  the 
boys  did  want,  and  they  indicated  the  fact  to  the 
sailorish-looking  man,  who  thereupon  lifted  his  finger 
and  motioned  to  the  boys  to  follow  him. 

The  boys  followed  their  guide  for  some  distance  and 
finally  reached  a  low-roofed  shop  where  a  man  with  a 
pipe  was  scraping  an  oar.  This  man  had  a  dory,  but 
he  would  not  rent  it  unless  he  went  with  it.  "  I'll  tell 
you  what  I'll  do,"  he  said,  "  I'll  row  you  around  all 
the  ships  for  a  dollar." 

"  No,"  said  Allan,  "  that's  too  much." 


Echoes  of  War.  265 

"  Too  much !  "  cried  the  man  who  had  a  dory,  "why, 
I  have  been  getting  a  dollar  and  a  half  a  trip.  What 
did  you  expect  to  pay  ?  " 

"  I  expected  to  pay  about  fifty  cents  an  hour,"  ad 
mitted  Allan.  "  And  an  hour  was  all  we  wanted." 

"  Well,  I'll  be  losin'  money,"  said  the  man ;  "  but 
call  it  seventy-five  cents." 

The  boys  finally  agreed  to  these  terms  and  were 
soon  afloat  with  the  dory,  the  man  pulling  at  the  oars 
and  asking  questions  about  the  cameras. 

"  Sakes  alive  !  "  he  said,  "  but  there's  been  camera 
cranks  around  here.  It  must  be  lots  of  fun,  though." 

There  was  a  strong  tide  and  the  man  had  to  bend 
hard  at  the  oars  while  Allan  and  McConnell  adjusted 
their  cameras  and  peeped  at  the  war-ships  with  the  aid 
of  their  finders. 

It  was  rather  a  misty  morning.  There  was  a  pecul 
iar  silvery  light  on  the  water  and  the  ships  looked 
queerly  on  the  shadow  side  next  the  shore.  The 
Gloucester  was  dainty  and  trim.  To  make  the  glimpse 
of  her  more  entertaining,  a  message  arrived  on  a 
launch,  and  within  five  minutes  the  anchor  had  been 
lifted  and  she  steamed  away,  evidently  toward  the 
Brooklyn  Yard.  The  Brooklyn,  with  the  shot-hole  in 
her  smoke-stack  (carefully  pointed  out  by  the  man  of 
the  dory),  floated  quietly  at  her  moorings. 

There  was  bustle  on  the  Oregon  —  and  it  was  wash 
day,  evidently. 

"  I  wonder,"  said  Allan,  resentfully,  "  why  they 
always  have  their  wash  out  when  a  fellow  wants  to 
make  pictures  ? " 

The  man  of  the  dory  laughed.  He  couldn't  ex 
plain  it,  he  said. 

"  How  near  do  you  want  to  get  ?  "  he  asked. 


266  Captain  Kodak. 

"  I  want  a  good  full-length  picture,"  said  Allan.  "I 
think  we  are  far  enough  away  from  her  now  if  you  will 
pull  south  a  little  ways." 

When  they  had  pulled  south  for  a  short  distance 
Allan  found  that  the  three  hundred  feet  of  the  Oregon 
required  a  long  range,  and  the  man  swung  the  bow 
again  to  the  east. 

They  had  made  several  shots  from  their  seats ;  but 
Allan  now  stood  on  the  forward  seat,  the  man  slowing 

J  O 

down  again  as  Allan  got  the  range. 

"  I'll  steady  you,"  said  McConnell,  bracing  Allan 
and  watching  the  Oregon  as  her  lines  swung  into  favor 
able  view. 

"  Click  !  "  sounded  the  camera,  and  Allan  rolled  the 
film  for  another  shot,  this  time  getting  an  almost  per 
fect  profile  of  the  ship. 

"  Now,  McConnell,  I'll  steady  you." 

"  Oh,  never  mind,"  said  McConnell,  confidently  ; 
"  I  think  I  could  stand  better  alone." 

"  Pull  up  a  few  strokes,"  Allan  suggested  to  the  oars 
man,  for  the  tide  was  carrying  them  north.  "  Better 
let  me  hold  you,  McConnell." 

But  McConnell,  who  was  studying  his  finder,  pro 
tested  that  he  was  all  right.  And  he  did  make  a  suc 
cessful  shot  with  no  more  assistance  than  Allan's  one 
hand  at  his  back  —  assistance  which  he  seemed  to  feel 
that  he  might  have  done  without.  Yet  his  confidence, 
if  it  had  not  been  too  great  when  he  occupied  a  place 
on  the  seat,  made  him  reckless  in  the  moment  of  his 
success  ;  for  in  stepping  down  his  foot  slipped,  and  the 
quick  turn  which  he  made  to  save  himself  sent  him 
into  the  bay. 

Allan  sprang  forward  to  reach  McConnell,  and  the 
boatman  tugged  at  the  oars  in  the  moment  of  con- 


I'll  steady  you,'  said  McConnell." 


Echoes  of  War.  269 

fusion  when  he  did  not  realize  on  which  side  of  the 
stern  the  boy  had  fallen.  There  was  a  stir  among  the 
jackies  in  the  starboard  bow  of  the  Oregon. 

"I'm  all  right!  "  shouted  McConnell. 

Allan  had  caught  an  oar  from  the  boatman's  hand 
and  now  held  it  within  McConnell's  reach. 

"  I  don't  want  that  !  "  laughed  McConnell,  as  he 
swam  to  the  side  of  the  dory.  But  he  consented  to 
let  the  boatman  and  Allan  lift  him  over  the  side. 

"  Pull  ashore  !  "  said  Allan  to  the  boatman.  "  We 
must  get  these  clothes  dry  somehow." 

"  Well,  we  had  all  we  wanted  everyway,  didn't  we  ? " 
said  McConnell,  trying  to  wring  some  of  the  water  out 
of  his  clothes.  "  Wasn't  it  good  that  the  camera 
dropped  into  the  boat !  " 

Allan  had  scarcely  noticed  what  became  of  the 
camera.  He  had  a  feeling  of  being  responsible  in 
some  degree  for  McConnell's  mishap,  and  realized 
that  the  wet  clothes  must  be  removed  at  the  earliest 
possible  moment,  for  it  was  a  cool  morning  that  threat 
ened  a  chill. 

As  the  boatman  pulled  under  the  bow  of  the  Oregon, 
there  was  a  shout  from  some  of  the  jackies,  and  Mc 
Connell  waved  his  hat,  which  the  boatman  had  recov 
ered  with  his  oar. 

"  And  so,"  said  McConnell  to  his  mother  that 
afternoon,  "  we  went  to  the  boatman's  shop  and  he 
rubbed  me  down  with  a  dirty,  rough  towel,  and  put  my 
clothes  to  dry  by  the  stove  while  I  sat  on  a  stool  with 
Allan's  coat  and  an  old  pair  of  overalls  on,  and  some 
thing  like  a  boat  sail  wrapped  around  me.  Then 
Allan  got  me  a  cup  of  tea  and  a  sandwich  from  a 
restaurant.  It  was  great  fun  ;  and  we've  got  all  the 
ships  !  " 


2jo  Captain  Kodak. 

Allan's  report  was  somewhat  different,  naturally, 
but  it  was  fully  as  enthusiastic  in  the  matter  of  the 
pictures  of  the  famous  ships. 

As  for  McConnell,  he  dried  off  so  thoroughly  in 
the  boatman's  shop  that  he  suffered  not  a  whit  from 
his  ducking. 

"  There's  no  harm  in  a  salt-water  wetting,"  he  said, 
"  and  I  got  a  good  snap-shot  at  the  warships,  any 
how." 


XIX. 


RETURNED    HEROES. 


MEANWHILE  the 
war  had  closed  and 
the    soldiers    were 
coming     home  —  coming 
home    in    crowded    trans 
ports,  in  fever  ships  as  well 
as  in   the   righting  ships ; 
coming    home   white   and 

O 

weak   from   the   blighting 
tropical  battle-fields. 

An  uproarious  welcome 
greeted  the  home-coming 

o  o 

heroes.  Allan  never  for 
got  the  look  of  Broadway,  crowded  with  cheering 
thousands,  when  the  returning  volunteers  of  the 
Seventy-first  started  up  the  great  thoroughfare. 

It  was  easier  to  photograph  the  crowds  than  the 
soldiers  under  these  circumstances,  as  Allan  very  soon 
found.  The  whole  line  of  march  was  so  crowded  that 
Allan,  who,  during  the  early  part  of  the  day,  had  the 
company  of  Detective  Dobbs,  determined  to  strike 
across  town  and  hurry  up  to  the  armory  with  the  hope 
of  catching  the  scene  as  the  regiment  reached  its  city 
home. 

This  proved  more  difficult  than  he  had  expected, 

271 


272  Captain  Kodak. 

for  the  crowd  was  immense,  the  police  could  not  con 
trol  the  lines,  and  the  constant  pressure  and  shifting 
of  the  throngs  greatly  diminished  Allan's  chances  of 
keeping  near  the  front  when  the  regiment  should 
arrive.  A  saluting  gun  shattered  the  western 
windows  of  the  armory  and  filled  the  street  with 
smoke. 

At  the  critical  moment  when  the  regiment  reached 
the  armory,  Allan,  who  had  counted  on  the  chance  of 
holding  his  camera  high  enough  to  shoot  over  the 
shoulders  of  men  who  stood  in  front  of  him,  was 
pushed  violently  to  one  side,  and  hemmed  in  by  a 
standing  group  of  men.  The  crowd  closed  about  him, 
but  he  held  the  camera  high  in  sheer  defiance,  though 
he  caught  nothing  better  than  the  jumble  of  heads  and 
shoulders. 

Allan  had  much  better  luck  in  the  expedition  he 
organized  for  visiting  the  camp  at  Montauk  Point,  on 
the  far  end  of  Long  Island,  to  which  the  transports  had 
been  carrying  the  weary  soldiers  of  many  regiments. 
The  Santiago  men  were  there ;  the  Rough  Riders 
and  thousands  of  their  comrades.  Big  McConnell 
was  there,  and  his  mother  found  him  the  day  after  he 
landed.  Little  McConnell  wanted  to  go  at  the  same 
time,  and  was  greatly  disappointed  at  being  left 
behind. 

The  next  day  Allan  planned  a  trip  for  which  he 
recruited  Owen,  McConnell,  Joe  Bassett,  Philip  Man- 
ton,  Mrs.  Creigh,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Austin.  All 
save  Allan  and  McConnell  were  to  return  the  same 
day,  and  Allan's  plan  for  staying  over  night  was  con 
ditional  on  Big  McConnell's  valuable  advice  and  assist 
ance. 

The  day  fixed  for  the  expedition  was  one  of  those 


Returned  Heroes.  275 

that  frown  before  they  smile,  and  while  it  was  frown 
ing  there  were  many  misgivings  among  those  who 
assembled  for  the  early  train  into  New  York. 

"  I  wonder,"  queried  McConnell,  "  why  the  weather 
always  tries  to  frighten  photographers  like  this.  We 
all  know  it  will  clear  up."  And  it  did. 

When  they  reached  the  end  of  the  railway  journey 
the  sun  was  cheering  the  jaded  troops,  whitening  the 
sand  of  the  beach  and  the  canvas  of  the  tents  ;  glisten 
ing  on  the  harness  of  the  cavalry  horses,  on  the  mus 
kets  of  the  guard,  in  the  folds  of  the  regimental  flags. 

The  great  Montauk  camp  opened  before  the  visitors 
in  an  imposing  way ;  yet  it  seemed  less  of  a  show  at 
the  outset  than  the  boys  had  expected.  What  it  all 
meant  came  to  them  later.  The  longer  they  stayed, 
the  wider  and  more  populous  it  seemed  to  grow. 

When  they  found  the  elder  McConnell,  he  was  on 
guard  duty,  and  it  was  two  hours  later  before  he  could 
go  about  with  them  ;  but  meanwhile  he  called  Terry, 
the  big  reporter,  and  Terry  promised  the  boys  he 
would  help  them  get  some  pictures  of  interest.  To 
begin  with,  he  carried  them  off  to  the  Rough  Riders' 
camp. 

"  But,  mind  you,"  he  said,  "  I  want  some  prints. 
I  can  use  them  in  a  magazine  article  I  am  getting  up." 

The  camera  people  were  first  introduced  to  "Teddy," 
the  eagle  mascot  of  the  Rough  Riders,  who  sat  on  the 
ridge-pole  of  a  tent,  and  refused  to  pose  when  he  was 
asked.  But  they  all  trained  their  lenses  on  him,  and, 
in  almost  every  instance,  got  a  silhouette  against  the 
bright  sky. 

Allan  made  free  to  tell  Terry  that  he  would  like  to 
photograph  Colonel  Roosevelt. 

"  Well,"  said  Terry,  "  they  are  bothering  these  men 


Captain   Kodak. 

to  death,  but  I  tell  you  what  I'll  do.  I'll  go  and 
speak  to  the  Colonel  about  something  I  must  bother 
him  about,  and  then  you  can  improve  your  opportu 
nity.  You  will  have  a 
good  position  right 
where  you  are  —  and 
so  will  I  have  a  good 
position.  I'd  like  a 
print  of  that,  and  I 
shall  certainly  put  it 
in  the  middle  of  my 
mantelpiece  with  the 
inscription,  *  Me  and 
Roosevelt.' ' 

Terry  deliberately 
carried  out  his  plan. 
He  strolled  over  to  the 
Colonel's  tent,  met  him 
just  as  the  leader  of 
the  Rough  Riders  was 
coming  out,  and  stood 
there  for  several  minutes  in  conversation  with  Colonel 
Roosevelt,  while  the  camera  delegation  revelled  in  the 
chances  afforded  by  their  easy  range. 

They  afterward  found  a  group  of  Rough  Riders  who 
were  not  riding,  and  under  Terry's  direction  were  soon 
becoming  acquainted  with  the  situation  of  the  different 
divisions  of  the  camp. 

"  You  are  quite  a  company  yourselves,"  said  Terry 
to  Mr.  Austin,  who,  with  Mrs.  Austin  and  Mrs.  Creigh, 
had  rejoined  the  boys  as  they  were  crossing  one  of  the 

roads. 

"Yes,"  laughed  Mr.  Austin,  "and  this  is  Captain 
Kodak,"  he  added,  slapping  Allan  on  the  shoulder. 


"'Teddy,'  the  eagle  mascot." 


Returned  Heroes.  279 

"  Captain  Kodak,"  repeated  Terry,  who  just  then 
turned  to  a  near-by  group  of  men. 

Allan  heard  Terry  say  to  one  of  the  men  in  the 
group,  "  General,  Captain  Kodak  and  his  friends  are 
within  range.  I  warn  you  to  preserve  a  pleasant  and 
statuesque  appearance." 

When  Allan  looked  toward  the  officer  to  whom 
Terry  had  spoken,  he  at  once  recognized  him  by  the 
many  pictures  he  had  seen  as  General  Wheeler. 

"  Who  is  Captain  Kodak  ?  "  asked  General  Wheeler. 

"  Oh,  the  General  has  been  under  camera  fire  before," 
laughed  one  of  the  other  men  in  the  group. 

Allan  was  obliged  to  come  forward  and  be  intro 
duced,  and  General  Wheeler  shook  hands  with  all  of 
the  Hazenfield  delegation,  and  said  he  should  not  run 
if  they  insisted  upon  firing  at  him.  Several  pictures 
were  taken  during  his  short  conversation  with 
Mr.  Austin. 

When  Big  McConnell  was  at  liberty,  Allan  had 
made  arrangements  with  Terry  to  send  him  prints  for 
his  magazine  article.  Percy  gazed  with  great  pride  on 
his  big  brother  and  hovered  near  him  with  admiring 
affection.  Allan  was  scarcely  less  admiring  of  the 
stalwart  corporal,  who  took  the  boys  in  tow  and 
showed  them  some  of  the  sights  which  they  had  not 
yet  seen. 

The  Corporal  hdd  considered  various  expedients 
for  keeping  the  boys  at  or  near  the  camp  over  night. 
Upon  consultation  with  Terry,  it  appeared  that 
Terry's  newspaper  tent  mate  was  to  be  away  until  the 
next  day,  and  it  was  arranged  that  Allan  and  Little 
McConnell  were  to  sleep  in  this  newspaper  tent  with 
Terry.  Little  McConnell  would  rather  have  slept 
with  his  brother  in  the  soldier  quarters,  but  soon  de- 


280 


Captain   Kodak. 


cided  that  staying  over  night  in  camp  under  any  cir 
cumstances  was  a  momentously  romantic  affair. 

And  so  the  evening  came  on,  and  with  it  all  the 
interesting  incidents  of  life  in  a  camp.  A  long  line  of 
the  Rough  Riders,  taking  their  horses  to  water,  was 
visible  from  their  tent.  They  heard  the  sunset  gun 
and  the  cry  of  the  bugles,  and  saw  the  flags  come 
down.  There  were  many  trampings  of  feet  in  distant 
clouds  of  sand,  faint  shouts,  and  commands.  The 
stars  came  out,  a  cool  breeze  drew  off  the  sea,  and  the 
boys  fell  asleep. 

The  next  day  was  a  bustling  day  at  the  camp,  an 
exciting  and  memorable  day,  because  it  was  the  day  on 
which  the  President  came.  Allan  and  McConnell 
saw  Mr.  McKinley  several  times,  sometimes  at  close 
quarters.  The  President  wore  a  straw  hat.  Allan 
thought  he  looked  tired  and  worried,  though  he  had  a 
pleasant,  cheery  word  for  all  whom  he  met. 


A  group  of  the  Rough  Riders." 


Returned   Heroes. 


283 


'The  President  wore  a  straw  hat." 


When  the  President  went  into  the  hospital  tents, 
Allan  and  McConnell  for  the  first  time  began  to 
give  close  attention  to  these  places,  and  began  to 
realize  more  truly  than  before  what  a  tragic  thing 
war  can  be  to  those  who  are  not  hit  by  bullets.  The 
thin,  drawn  faces  of  the  sick  soldiers  made  the  boys' 
hearts  heavy. 

It  was  while  the  boys  were  standing  in  the  shadow 
of  one  of  the  supply  tents  that  two  men,  carrying  a 
stretcher,  halted  near  them,  and  placing  the  stretcher 
in  the  shadow,  turned  into  the  supply  tent. 

There  was  a  movement  on  the  stretcher,  a  very 
slight  movement,  and  when  the  boys  looked  definitely 
toward  its  occupant,  they  saw  a  face  that  made  their 
hearts  leap  with  something  like  terror.  At  the  same 
moment  the  sunken  eyes  that  stared  at  them  seemed 


284  Captain  Kodak. 

to  start  with  a  responsive  terror  that  made  the  ghastly 
face  of  their  owner  look  doubly  ghastly. 

The  man  was  too  far  gone  to  make  a  pronounced 
movement,  but  he  indicated  in  some  way  that  the  boys 
were  to  come  nearer.  Allan  stepped  close  to  the 
stretcher. 

"  You  know  me  !  "  whispered  the  man. 

Allan  nodded.  He  would  have  known  the  Ghost 
anywhere. 

"  It  doesn't  matter  now,"  continued  the  man.  "  I'm 
done  for.  But  you'll  keep  quiet,  won't  you  ?  " 

Allan  nodded  again. 

"  It  wouldn't  do  you  any  good  to  give  me  away 
now.  I'm  sorry  I  did  what  I  did  to  you." 

Allan  tried  to  say  that  he  bore  him  no  grudge  at  all. 

"  I  was  desperate.  You  understood  that  ?  And  I 
did  get  away,  got  away  and  made  another  start.  But 
they  were  after  me,  and  I  finally  went  where  I  thought 
they  might  let  me  alone." 

The  man's  whisper  grew  very  difficult  to  hear. 

"  I  took  care  of  myself  for  a  little  while.  Yes,  I 
was  straight.  And  then  one  day,  just  as  the  war  came, 
I  found  that  they  had  traced  me.  By  good  luck  I  got 
a  chance  to  enlist.  That  was  how  I  dodged  them 
again."  A  pitiful  smile  came  over  the  man's  face. 
"  And  now  I'm  going  to  escape  them  for  good  and 
all.  No,  no  !  "  the  man  burst  out  as  one  of  the  men 
who  had  been  carrying  the  stretcher  placed  his  hand 
on  Allan's  shoulder.  "  Wait  a  moment !  " 

"You  mustn't  talk,"  said  the  man,  firmly. 

"  Another  word  —  wait !  "  pleaded  the  sick  man, 
his  face  flushing  for  the  moment.  Then  he  whispered 
again  to  Allan.  "  This  is  the  last  now.  You  can  see 
that — they  wouldn't  allow  this  if  there  was  any 


o 


o 


Returned   Heroes.  287 

chance  for  me.  I  led  a  bad  life,  my  boy.  It  was  a 
failure.  But  I  tried  to  be  a  good  soldier.  Slip  your 
hand  under  here,  and  say,  <  Good-by,  Hiram  Bain.'  " 

Allan  found  the  man's  hot  hand  and  repeated, 
huskily,  "  Good-by,  Hiram  Bain." 

The  standing  soldier's  hand  was  on  his  shoulder 
again,  and  he  rose  up. 

The  Ghost's  eyes  seemed  to  be  pleading  for  another 
word.  Allan  bent  over. 

'  You  haven't  any  grudge  against  me  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Allan,  "  I  haven't.  I  want  you  to  get 
well,  and  to  keep  on  —  beginning  over." 

The  man  shook  his  head,  then  nodded  gratefully  to 
Allan,  as  if  the  good  wish  was  all  he  wanted  just  then. 

The  two  men  now  lifted  the  stretcher  and  moved 
away,  Allan  and  McConnell  staring  after  them  until 
they  had  disappeared  into  one  of  the  hospital  tents. 

This  was  the  last  Allan  saw  of  the  Ghost.  On  the 
following  day  the  Ghost  passed  away  and  was  buried 
with  other  soldiers  who  had  come  home  to  die. 

When  Allan  and  McConnell  were  homeward  bound 
on  the  evening  train,  their  heads  full  of  the  camp 
scenes,  McConnell  said,  "  I  wish  we  hadn't  seen  the 
Ghost." 

"  I'm  not  sorry,"  said  Allan.  "  I'm  glad.  I  be 
lieve  he  was  not  so  bad  as  they  thought  he  was,  and 
he  did  the  best  he  could  at  the  end.  I  feel  better  to 
know  that  he  can't  be  hunted  any  more." 

"  Well,"  admitted  McConnell,  "  I'm  glad  of  that 
part,  too." 


A    WORD    AT    THE    END. 


IT  would  be  interesting  to  tell 
something   more   of  Captain 
Kodak's  experiences,  but  the 
back  cover  of  a  book  is  not  to  be 
ignored,  and  we    are   very    close 
upon  it. 

Allan  was  reflected  President, 
and  the  Camera  Club  began  to 
seem  indispensable  to  the  ama 
teur  photographers  of  Hazen- 
field.  Many  improvements  were 
made  in  the  dark  room,  and  new  facilities  for  printing 
were  added  to  the  smaller  front  room.  Indeed,  the 
certainty  that  the  club  was  outgrowing  the  Hartel 
coach-house  was  clear  to  every  one. 

One  day  Mr.  Prenwood  came  over  from  Stony- 
shore.  It  happened  that  there  was  a  meeting  that 
night,  and  as  a  result  of  Mr.  Prenwood's  chat  he 
joined  the  club  himself.  This  particularly  pleased 
Allan  and  McConnell. 

"  I  shall  get  over  once  a  month,"  said  Mr.  Pren 
wood,  "  and  see  if  I  can't  learn  wisdom  from  you 
experts." 

Yet  to  Prenwood,  as  to  those  he  met  at  the  club, 
perhaps  the  best  thing  to  be  found  there  was  not  the 
photographic  wisdom. 

288 


DUE  2  Wi\o  rtium  unit  rtt 


PS  1101  B56c  1899 

I  II!  1 1 II 1 1  III 
L  006  281  079  1 


,,U»  SSS5S5"*  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A    001372286    3 


